Rewritten
by krystalsteph
Summary: What if it all was rewritten? Chapter 44: Andy is nervous...
1. The First Time

Okay so once again, I probably shouldn't be posting this because I don't have it completely worked out in my head yet, but whatever.

This is the story that came to me while writing Secrets. Since that story was supposed to go along with the actual show, a lot of the ideas I had just didn't work for it. Thus, I decided to write this story. You'll notice, it starts off with exactly the same premise. I tried to change it around so you didn't feel like you were reading the exact same chapter, but there are definitely similarities, so I hope nobody is bored because of that. However, after this chapter, the story goes in a completely different direction than Secrets, so I do hope you give it a chance even if this chapter does completely bore you.

Essentially, this my rewrite of Rookie Blue. Hope you enjoy!

===========Rewritten===========

She's not sure when this conversation turned from simply recapping their day to something… more, but suddenly she realizes that he's still holding her hand and he's tugging her closer and yeah, now they're really close- _way_ too close. She glances at his lips and he gives her hand a squeeze and she can feel herself giving in.

Her brain knows this is an absolutely terrible idea, but her body is just not cooperating. There's just something about him. It's inexplicable, but she knows it's more than just physical attraction.

On the inside, she's running through all of the reasons they shouldn't do this. It's her first week on the job; he's her training officer; it's against the rules; half a dozen people from their division could walk out and catch them at any moment. She knows she should probably share these reasons with him- just ask him if they can disregard, but she doesn't. No, instead she just flashes him a smile and leans in closer.

She truly does know how stupid this is, but she just can't seem to care. It could be the buzz she's got going from the shots she drank earlier or maybe it's just the fact that she hasn't been with a man in a _while_ (much longer than she'd care to admit, actually), but she really doesn't want to talk herself out of this. Not even a little bit.

Instead, she sneaks another glance at his mouth and quickly erases the space between them.

The second their lips touch, his hands find her hips and his fingers lightly graze the skin just under the hem of her shirt. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls herself flush against him while he coaxes her mouth open and caresses her tongue with his. When she starts to whimper, he pulls away and meets her gaze. The way he's looking at her sends a shiver down her spine and as much as she knows that they should just disregard, she's pretty sure she couldn't even if she tried.

"Wanna get out of here?" He asks.

She bites her lip and for a second, he thinks she's going to turn him down, but then a smile spreads across her lips and she's nodding her head.

"Let's go," he says with a smile before tugging her towards the passenger seat of his car.

Neither of them say a thing during the six minute car ride to Sam's apartment. Normally, she despises silence, but somehow, this silence doesn't bother her.

"Want something to drink?" He asks when they walk into his kitchen.

"Sure," she replies.

"I have beer and scotch," he informs her.

"Scotch," she replies, earning a smile from her training officer. He pours them each a glass and passes one to her. They clink them together and each take a sip. After putting his glass down on the counter beside him, he takes a few steps towards her and places his hands on her hips again. His thumbs are running circles on her skin as he searches her eyes, ensuring that she's still okay with this. She puts her glass down next to his, wraps her hand around the back of his neck and pulls him in for a kiss. Within seconds, they are picking up right where they left off in the parking lot of the Penny, with their tongues clashing as his hands skim under her shirt. After a minute, he turns his attention to her neck as his hands slip further up her back. She tilts her head to give him more access, encouraging him to continue. As he sucks a bit of skin in his mouth, she lets out a moan, which goes straight to his groin.

Soon, she's lifting his shirt over his head and he's tossing hers aside as well. He takes a moment to appreciate the sight of her wearing nothing but her bra and jeans before placing kisses on the tops of her breasts.

When he returns his lips to hers, he cups her ass and lifts her up. Once her legs are tightly wrapped around him, he carries her to his bedroom. Seconds later, he's pushing her against his bedroom wall and placing kisses from her collarbone all the way up her throat. When he blows a warm breath in her ear before running his tongue along the cartilage, she whimpers and bucks her hips against him.

When he finally puts her down on the ground, she immediately starts unbuckling his belt, unzipping his jeans and pushing his pants down his legs. He steps out of them easily and kicks them aside while he works on removing her bra as he nibbles on her ear. Once it's tossed aside, his hands cup her breasts before his tongue runs circles around her nipples. While he's fixated on her breasts, she works on slipping out of her jeans and underwear.

Soon, his lips return to hers as his hands start to explore lower, sliding down her stomach and then in between her legs. He lets out a groan at just how wet she is, while goosebumps cover her body the second she feels his touch. He is so gentle it's maddening, the way he's lightly running his finger along her, teasing her. She continues to buck her hips into him, begging for pressure, but he doesn't give in. She attempts to get some revenge by cupping him through his boxers, earning herself a loud groan. Then, she pushes them down his legs and he kicks them off before she wraps her hand around him. She, too, decides not to give him the pressure he desperately wants. Instead she barely grips him while she slowly runs her hand up and down him. It seems as if her plan is working because she can sense his frustration. Eventually, he lifts her up and places her on the bed before crawling on top of her.

"You sure?" He asks her.

"What, you wanna stop?" She teases. She thinks it's sweet that he's asking, but seriously, does she not look sure right now?

"Definitely not," he replies.

"Good, me either," she tells him.

He nods and starts to kiss her. "Condom?" He asks in between kisses.

"I'm on the pill… and I'm clean. You?"

"Not on the pill, but I am clean," he jokes, causing her to playfully roll her eyes. He lets out a laugh and kisses her one more time before they are locking eyes as he pushes inside of her.

And yeah, that look of pure pleasure on her face as he pumps in and out of her is making his stomach do a few flips.

He seriously cannot get enough of her. Her smooth skin underneath his fingertips. Her flowery scent invading his nostrils. Her soft, swollen lips pressing against his. Her long, tanned legs wrapped around his hips. Her beautiful brown eyes locking with his. Her warm breath hitting his neck. Her hands running through his hair, along his chest, and up and down his back. And her breathy gasps filling the air with each thrust. Yeah, he really cannot get enough.

Minutes later, he angles his hips, allowing him even deeper and making them both a bit delirious.

"Sam… oh, oh God," she moans as she throws her head back against the pillow and grips him so tight that he's sure there will be marks.

Soon, he's picking up the pace, which she immediately encourages. She's become even louder and yeah, he really likes it when she's loud.

They continue like this for a while until neither one of them can take much more. It only takes a few more thrusts before they both begin to shudder.

When it's over, he presses his lips against hers before rolling off of her and lying on his back as they both attempt to catch their breath.

"Jesus…" Andy says in between pants.

"Yeah," Sam concurs, as he runs his fingers through his hair. They are both quiet for the next several minutes with the only noise being the sounds of their rapid breathing.

"We can't do this," Andy tells him as she finally starts to catch her breath.

"Do what?" He asks as he glances over at her.

"Have sex," she explains.

"Hate to break it to you McNally, but we kind of already did," he laughs.

"I mean, again," she clarifies.

"I don't know. I kind of think it's worth repeating," he says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"It's against the rules," she reminds him.

"So, we'll keep it between us," he suggests with a shrug.

"That simple?" She asks, as if she doesn't believe him in the slightest.

"It can be," he tells her.

She knows this is such a bad idea. Her mind races with everything that could go wrong. They really should not be doing this, but she can't find it in her to talk herself out of it. I mean, she really doesn't want to deprive herself of what they just did. Not even a little bit.

"Okay… but we _have_ to keep it between us. Seriously, we _cannot_ tell another soul," she tells him.

"Wasn't planning on telling anyone, McNally… This _is_ kind of against the rules," he tells her with a smirk.

She rolls her eyes. "And we cannot let it interfere with work… The second it does, we _have_ to stop," she says.

"Okay," he agrees.

"Okay," she grins as she rolls back on top of him. "So… is it worth repeating right _now_?" she asks with a smirk.

"Hmm… I think it is," he grins before pulling her in for a kiss.

===========Rewritten===========

Okay, so once again, I hope nobody was ridiculously bored by this chapter since it's so similar to Secrets, but like I said, the rest of the story will be completely different, so please stay tuned!

And please review!


	2. Awkward

Thanks for all of the reviews! I appreciate every single one.

==========Rewritten==========

Patrol has been way too quiet and it's driving her completely insane. Her mind is on overdrive and she just can't slow it down, no matter how hard she tries.

He has barely said anything to her since they got in the cruiser and it's making her feel really weird. God, why did she have to sleep with him? She's such an idiot. Her first week on the job and she sleeps with her training officer. How is anything ever going to be normal again?

And of course, now she's _that_ girl. That girl that sleeps with her superior. And obviously he was just horny and she was… there. And now he's probably thinking that she's going to get all clingy and want to be his girlfriend or something so he's distancing himself.

God, how did she ever think this could be normal?

She thought they had some kind of understanding… some kind of agreement. They wouldn't tell anyone. It wouldn't interfere with work. He would give her mind blowing orgasms and she'd do her best to return the favor.

Obviously that was just all talk because this is definitely weird. God, she is such an idiot. What was she thinking?

"You okay over there, McNally?" He asks with some obvious amusement.

"What? Oh. Yeah, I'm fine Sir," she nods.

"McNally…" he says with a rolls of his eyes.

"Yes?"

"We had sex last night," he declares, as if she didn't already know.

"I know," she says, suddenly extremely interested in whatever is going on outside her window.

"We had sex _three_ times last night," he amends with a smirk.

"I remember," she says, trying her best to keep a straight face, but the memories of last night are making it rather difficult.

"So, you really do _not_ need to call me Sir," he laughs.

She turns to look at him and sees the smirk on his face and for some reason, it just makes her start to giggle.

"This is weird, isn't it?" She asks.

"Yes... Because you're _making_ it weird," he accuses.

"Me? What did I do?" She wonders.

"You're not talking," he points out.

"You either," she counters.

"Yeah, but you're the one who's normally allergic to silence, not me," he reminds her.

She nods. "That's true," she agrees.

"So… you going to Fite Nite next weekend?" He asks, hoping this will get her to start talking.

"Of course," she says as if that's the stupidest question anyone has ever asked her.

He laughs. "Good. I heard Nash is fighting for the rookies this year," he says.

"Yep. And she's going to kick ass," Andy declares.

"You know… I fought _my_ rookie year," he informs her with a grin.

"Oh yeah?" She asks, turning to face him.

"Yep," he replies as he sneaks a glance at her.

"Did you win?"

"You really need to ask, McNally?" He questions with a raised eyebrow. "Of _course_ I won," he tells her in a cocky tone that just makes her laugh. When the giggles start to dissipate seconds later, he clears his throat. "So, you uh… wanna come over tonight? He questions.

She looks over at him and grins. "I _guess_ I could do that," she decides.

"Don't sound so thrilled," he says, sarcastically, causing another few laughs.

"Fine. I'd _love_ to come over tonight," she says, dramatically. "Better?" She asks.

"Actually, yes," he smiles.

"God, men and their egos," she teases, causing him to playfully roll his eyes.

And thankfully, the rest of the shift isn't weird at all.

===========Rewritten============

"So uh… what's the deal with Detective Callahan?" She asks later that night as they are tangled in his bed sheets.

"Really McNally? We just had sex and you want to talk about Callahan?" He asks, incredulously.

"What? We stopped having sex like ten minutes ago… An appropriate amount of time has passed for me to change the subject," she insists.

"But Callahan? Really?" He asks with some disgust on his face.

She shrugs. "I was just curious because he's always hitting on me."

And suddenly, his expression changes and she's not sure why, but he seems like he might be just a little upset.

"Oh uh… yeah, he picks a different rookie every year," Sam shrugs, acting as if this topic of conversation isn't bothering him in the slightest.

"Seriously? _Every_ year?" She clarifies.

"Yep… I guess you should be flattered," he tells her.

"Oh, so you're saying _I'm_ his rookie of the year?" She asks, seemingly a bit insulted.

"You're the one who said he was hitting on you," Sam points out.

"I know, but… ugh," she says, scrunching her nose in disgust.

"What? Homicide Ken not your type?" He asks with a hint of teasing as the smile finally returns to his face.

"Nope," she says with a shake of her head.

"Then why'd you ask me about him?" He wonders.

"Just curious… I mean, he doesn't know a thing about me and he's always flirting… I said two words to him and he was instantly trying to charm me," she explains.

"Oh, like that doesn't happen to you all the time?" He asks, clearly not believing it for a second.

She smiles at his words. She thinks that might be Sam's way of giving her some sort of weird compliment. "Well… maybe at a bar or something, but not at work," she clarifies.

"Ah."

"So what about you? You ever hook up a rookie before?" She asks, propping herself up on her elbows to face him.

"Nope."

She narrows her eyes, clearly telling him that she's doesn't exactly believe what he's saying.

"What? I haven't," he insists. "I guess you're just _special_ ," he flirts with a teasing tone as he wiggles his eyebrows a bit.

"Hmm…" she says suspiciously. "So just badge bunnies, then?" She laughs.

"I resent that, you know," he frowns with faux offense, which only causes her to laugh harder.

===========Rewritten============

He knows she's pissed at him. He can honestly feel the daggers she's shooting from the passenger seat. He's actually a bit shocked that she even agreed to get in his truck after shift tonight. He thought it was going to take some serious groveling.

He knows he may have overreacted a little and he fully intends to apologize, it's just that when he saw her on the ground with that animal on top of her- he kind of flipped.

"Look Andy, I'm sorry about earlier, okay? I know I was too hard on you… I'm sorry. Really," he tells her after he can't stand the silence anymore.

"Sam, I'm a rookie. I'm going to make mistakes," she reminds him.

"I know," he replies. "And this probably won't be the last time I overreact about something out there," he admits. "But I _will_ try harder to stay calm next time," he promises. "It's just that it's my job to keep you safe, you know? And when I saw you on the ground like that… I just kind of freaked out," he tells her as he pulls up to his house and turns off the car.

"I know," she says as she gets out of the truck and walks up to his front door. When they get inside, he tugs at her arm to stop her and she turns around to look at him. "What?" she asks, when she sees him rolling up his sleeves.

"We're going to walk through what happened today, so we can figure out what you need to do differently next time, okay?" He asks.

"Uh… okay," she says as she follows him into the living room and watches as he moves the coffee table out of the way.

"Okay, I'm going to lie down on the ground and you do exactly what you did this afternoon," he instructs as he gets on his knees and then lies face down on the carpet.

"Okay, so I just got on his back, grabbed his hands like this and then when I reached for my cuffs, he pushed me off," she explains as she goes through the motions.

"Okay, get up," he tells her. She gets up off of him and stands up, then holds her hand out to help him up. "Okay, now you lie down and I'll show you what to do next time," he says.

She shrugs and lies face down on the carpet just as he was a few moments earlier.

"Okay, so the issue was with how you were pinning him down," he explains as he kneels beside her. "What you need to do is put one knee here and the other knee here," he tells her as he puts one knee on the small of her back and the other about eight inches higher. "This way he won't be able to push you off," he tells her.

"Okay, let me try," she says. He nods and gets up off of her before holding his hand out to help her up. Once she's standing, he lies back down on the floor.

"Okay, go," he says. She immediately gets down on the ground and does exactly what he taught her before grabbing his hands and putting them behind his back.

"Good job. See how I can't push you off now?" He asks as he tries to struggle.

"Yeah," she nods as she releases his hands and moves her knees off of him. "Thanks," she tells him.

"You're welcome," he replies with a smile after he's flipped over to look at her.

That's when she gets a mischievous smile on her face and is suddenly unbuttoning her jeans. "Take off your pants," she orders as she wiggles out of hers.

"Seriously?" He asks with a bit of surprise.

"Yes, take them off!" she says with some exasperation.

"Okay, okay, if you insist," he laughs as he does exactly what she asks. As he works on his buttons and zipper, she pulls her t-shirt over her head and moves to straddle him the moment he's out of his jeans. He grins at her as one hand lands on her waist and the other runs up her back and neck, where he pulls her down for a kiss. She happily obliges and crashes her lips against his, before she slips her tongue in his mouth and starts to push his shirt up his body, exposing his chest. They part for a moment when he sits up and allows her to pull his shirt over his head. Then, he quickly puts his mouth back on hers, but stays sitting while he wraps his arms around her and unhooks her bra. He pulls her flush against him, reveling in feel of her smooth skin against his. Her fingers run through his hair while he pulls away and takes advantage of their position by getting his lips on her breasts.

Moments later, she grabs his attention by bucking her hips. He tilts his head up to kiss her while simultaneously removing her underwear. Once they are in a pile on the floor, she pulls his boxers down his legs and climbs back on top of him.

She slowly lowers herself onto him, eliciting a mixture of moans from each of them, and then she rides him until they both come.

"You know, I think this arrangement of ours might actually work," she tells him twenty minutes later- still on top of him and a bit breathless.

"Oh yeah?" He asks as he runs his hands up and down her back.

"Yeah because now when you piss me off or I annoy you to death, we can just come home and take out all of our frustration with sex," she grins.

"You know, you might be right," he agrees. "Knowing that I get to take you to bed after shift will probably only _improve_ our partnership," he smirks as he pushes a lock of hair off of her shoulder.

"Mhm," she agrees with a smile.

As their heartrates start to go back to normal, Andy notices the look on Sam's face. It's like he's desperately trying to hold back a grin. She can only guess what he's thinking about.

"What's that face for?" She asks.

"Just thinking about all of the things I can do to piss you off tomorrow," he teases.

She playfully hits him on the chest and rolls her eyes. "You know you don't _have_ to piss me off in order to get sex," she informs him.

"Yeah, but I kind of like it when you're all fired up," he says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Oh, I'll show you fired up," she declares with a mischievous look on her face.

===========Rewritten============

I hope you guys liked this chapter! Personally, I like the next one better.

Please review!


	3. Rescue

Hey everyone, thanks so much for all of the amazing reviews! I appreciate them all!

===========Rewritten============

He sees the whole thing from across the room. He had been subtly watching Callahan chat her up when he noticed the expression on her face and how she hurried away, leaving Callahan in the dust. That's when he saw what had captured her attention.

He's not sure what they're saying, but he can guess. Andy looks pissed and Tommy looks guilty.

He's known about Tommy's demons for a while- everybody has. It wasn't exactly a well-kept secret, if there even was such a thing at 15.

He briefly considers just staying out of it, but when he sees the look on his rookie's face, he decides he needs to intervene.

"Hey Tommy," Sam says as he strolls up to him, pretending to be oblivious to everything that's going on between him and his daughter. He doesn't miss the expression on Andy's face- the look of pure mortification. She seems like she just wants to disappear.

"Hey Swarek," Tommy greets him. "I heard you were training my little girl," he says with a smile as he pats Andy on the shoulder, which seems to only piss her off more. He's obviously drunk. He's slurring his words more than enough to be noticeable.

"Yep. Quite the handful you've got there," Sam retorts with a small smile as he steales a glance at Andy. He shoots her a look, trying to convey that he's got her back and he'll take care of this. And it seems like maybe she understands because her shoulders start to relax a bit.

"Don't I know it," Tommy replies with a grin.

"Listen Tommy, why don't I give you a ride home, okay?" He asks, lowering his voice so their conversation is not overheard.

"No, no, no… that's really not necessary," he insists.

"It's no problem. It'll give us a chance to catch up. Come on. Let's go," he says, gently tugging Tommy along with him, letting him know that he really doesn't have a choice. He keeps a smile on his face and makes sure it looks friendly to everyone else in the area, but he thinks Tommy's gets the picture because he stops fighting and goes willingly. Andy is still standing there, though. She's a bit stunned and she has no idea if she's supposed to follow them or just stay where she is.

"Come on, McNally. You need a ride?" Sam calls over to her, when he notices that she isn't following.

"Uh yeah," she nods and runs after them. "Thanks."

The car ride home is uncomfortable and quiet… really quiet. Andy is in the passenger seat, nervously drumming her fingers on her thighs while Tommy is already passed out in the back. For most of the ride, the only words exchanged between the two of them are directional as Andy guides Sam to Tommy's apartment.

"You really didn't have to do this," Andy eventually says.

"It's no big deal, Andy," he tells her. And the tone of his voice actually convinces her that maybe he really doesn't mind. Still, this is not the way she wanted the night to go.

"Well… thank you," she says with a nod before she continues to drum against her legs. "I just can't believe he did that… in front of everybody," she mentions.

"Can't get him to work a program?" Sam asks.

"No… you know my Dad… too proud," she replies with a shrug.

He nods in understanding.

"It's right up here," she says, pointing out the window. Sam pulls up in front of Tommy's apartment complex and turns off the car.

"I've got it," Andy insists when Sam goes to open his door.

"Really? You're going to carry him up a couple flights of stairs all by yourself?" He asks, incredulously.

She lets out a heavy sigh when she realizes that he's right. It's not like she's never done it before, but yeah- it was _really_ hard. "Thanks," she tells him.

The two of them work together to get Tommy to his apartment. When Andy unlocks the door, he sees that look again. She's mortified. When he looks around her and into Tommy's apartment, he knows why.

The place is trashed. There are empty liquor bottles and beer cans everywhere. Dishes are piling up in the sink and the trash hasn't been taken out in far too long. The entire place smells like stale beer and some kind of rotting food.

"God. I just cleaned this place last week," she exclaims as she takes a step inside. He really hates the tone of her voice. It sounds hurt, defeated, broken- nothing like the way she typically sounds.

Sam puts a hand on her shoulder and squeezes it gently before he helps Tommy onto the couch. He picks up some stray newspapers and an empty bottle of whiskey that are lying on the cushions and then helps Tommy lie down. Andy comes up beside him, takes the bottle and newspaper and goes to the kitchen in search of a garbage bag. When she returns, she sees Sam untying her father's boots and slipping them off his feet.

"You've done this before," she observes.

He glances over at her and shrugs. "Once or twice," he replies. But the tone of his voice tells her that it was actually way more than once or twice. And that's when she wonders if maybe they have more in common than she thought.

She nods in understanding and continues to pick up stray bottles and cans that are scattered around the apartment. Moments later, Sam walks into the kitchen and finds his own trash bag.

"Sam, you don't have to do that," she insists, when she sees him start to pick up empty beer cans that are littering the kitchen counters.

"Oh, so you just want me to sit here and watch you?" He asks with a raised eye brow. He knows that she's about to open her mouth and argue, so he holds his hand up to stop her. "Andy, it's no big deal… seriously," he says, shooting her a look that says she's not winning this argument.

"Thank you," she tells him, not for the first time tonight. They spend the next twenty minutes cleaning her father's apartment. She cleans the rotting take out from the fridge and he pours the remaining liquor bottles down the sink. He takes out the trash and she does the dishes. She throws his dirty clothes in the hamper and he wipes up the grime that's accumulated on the tables and counters.

And Tommy sleeps through the whole thing.

Once the apartment looks somewhat inhabitable, he finds her standing in the family room just staring at her father.

"You okay?" He asks, running his hand up and down her back.

She shrugs. "Can we just get out of here?" She asks.

"Yeah," he nods, before leading her out of her father's apartment.

===========Rewritten===========

"Wanna come up?" She asks, when he pulls up in front of her place.

"Sure," he agrees, figuring that maybe she wants someone to talk to about everything that's happened tonight.

Once they get into her apartment, she tosses her keys on the kitchen table and collapses on the couch. He sits down beside her and puts his hand on her knee, trying to soothe her a bit.

"You wanna talk about it?" He asks.

"Not really," she says, shaking her head.

"Andy…" he begins, in a tone that says he disagrees with her decision.

"Sam, I just… I just need a distraction right now, okay?" she asks, peering up at him through her eyelashes.

He stares at her for a second, trying to read her eyes, before he eventually lets out a sigh. "Yeah. Okay," he says with a nod.

She mimics his movement and nods her head as well, as if to silently thank him for not pushing the issue. Their eyes lock and she slowly turns and lifts her leg over his lap so she's straddling him. His hands immediately start running up and down her sides while hers link around his neck.

"Thanks for… everything today," she tells him when their faces are only inches apart.

"Andy, stop thanking me," he begs. "It's really not a big deal. We're partners and partners always back each other up, right?" he asks.

She nods. "Still. Thank you," she tells him before she leans in for a kiss.

She's start off a little desperate. She's erratic and moving too fast. She's all over the place- like she's acting before her brain even has a chance to process. He knows she's just trying to forget- just trying to get lost in him. And he's happy to do that for her, but he senses her desperation in every movement and he hates that she's feeling like this.

He just wants to slow her down, make her relax a little. He sneaks his hand up her shirt and starts to slowly run his hand up and down her back, hoping to soothe her a little. It's when he starts to massage her neck with his other hand that he her feels her calm down a little.

That's when she pulls away to look at him. He really hates what he sees in her eyes. She looks upset and unsure and nothing at all like her normal self.

"You okay?" He asks, as he pushes the hair out of her face.

She lets out a giant sigh and rests her forehead on his shoulder. His fingers run through her hair as he waits for her to speak.

"I just don't know what to do about him… He completely humiliates me in front of everyone and _I'm_ the one saying sorry, it's pathetic," she confesses.

"Hey, you're not pathetic," he says as he tugs on her arm so she'll look at him. "Your dad is an addict and addiction… it just… it takes ahold of you and turns you into someone else. It makes you hurt and manipulate the people you love just so you can just keep doing what you're doing… Addicts… they know exactly what to say to make you feel like _you're_ the one doing something wrong. They'll say _anything_ not to stop. And you're dad knows that making you feel guilty is how to get you off his back," he explains.

She watches him for a minute, to the point that he starts to feel a little uncomfortable. He can't exactly read the expression in her eyes, but it's like she's searching for something.

"You seem to know a lot about this," she observes.

He nods. "Yeah, I do," he confirms.

She waits for him to continue, and a part of him just wants to start distracting her with kisses, but he sees the look on her face and he knows she needs this.

"My mom… she's struggled with drugs for a _long_ time," he informs her. "She had a rough life and drugs were… _are_ … her escape," he explains. "I was doing exactly what you're doing for years… I was always coming to her rescue because she's my mother and I love her and… I just couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if I didn't, you know? But eventually, I realized that I was only enabling her. The fact that she could always come to me- that I would always bail her out… it meant that she was never facing the consequences of her actions and until she did, she was never going to stop using," he continues. "The hardest thing I ever did was tell her that I couldn't do it anymore. I felt like the worst person in the world, but I knew it was for her own good… and mine," he confesses.

She nods and bites down on her lip a little bit. "Has she ever tried getting clean?" She asks.

"Yeah. I put her in rehab a few times and once she was clean for about eight months, but she hasn't tried in a while," he tells her.

"Do you think that's what I should do with my Dad?" she wonders.

"Andy, you have to do what's right for you," he replies. "I just don't like seeing you like this," he admits.

"I don't like feeling like this," she agrees. "I just worry that if I cut him out of my life, he'll spiral and end up in a ditch somewhere," she confesses.

"I know," he nods. God knows he had the exact same fears with his mother. He's had countless sleepless nights thinking about it. "But whatever you decide, the way he reacts is _his_ choice. Even if he _does_ spiral, it's not your fault," Sam tells her, adamantly.

"Yeah," she says with a nod.

A moment later, she's pulling him in for a kiss. It's a lot slower than before, but it's even more passionate. Things heat up quickly and soon he is carrying her off to her bedroom.

And yeah, this time, they're both getting lost in each other.

===========Rewritten===========

I hope you guys liked this chapter. Since we never really got the story about Sam's mom, except for that "she's somewhere warm," (whatever that means), I figured it was okay to create my own backstory. I think it makes sense and I wanted it to be a way for Sam and Andy to bond.

Hope you enjoyed! Please review!


	4. Practice

Hey, just wondering… are people actually liking this story? I noticed that my views and visitors have been cut in half with each post and only 9 people reviewed my last chapter, despite the fact that it had 200 views. If there is something you're not loving about it, please let me know (don't be too harsh, but I can take some constructive criticism). I'm just wondering if readers are finding it too similar to Secrets. I think it's different enough, but I know that it's a similar idea and it's during the same time period of the show so there is obviously crossover. I've already written the next five or so chapters and as it gets further along, it starts to go in a different direction, but if it feels too similar, please let me know and I'll try to change a few things up.

Anyway, I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. I really _do_ appreciate everyone who does review. They make my day and inspire me to keep writing and post faster!

ANYWAY, here's my next chapter. Enjoy!

=========Rewritten==========

"You excited about the John sweep tomorrow?" He asks, as they walk into her apartment after shift.

"Yeah… kind of nervous, though," she admits. "I mean… I've never done any undercover work before… what if I'm awful at it? What if no one believes me? What if I blow the whole op?"

"Well… do you want to practice?" He questions.

"Really? Yeah, that would be great," she agrees.

"Okay, so… I'm the John and I drive up to you, roll down my window and-"

"Wait!" She exclaims with her hand in the air to stop him.

"What?" He asks with obvious confusion.

"I've got to get into character!" She declares like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

He lets out a laugh. "Okay, how are you gonna do that?" He asks with amusement.

"Hmm…" she muses as she wanders towards her bedroom. He follows her, having no idea what she's up to. When he gets to her bedroom, he sees her going through her closet before she pulls out two tops and holds them up for him to look at. "Which one?" She asks.

He lets out a laugh before pointing at the top in her right hand. "Definitely the leopard," he replies.

"Yeah, you're right," she agrees before whipping off her shirt and pulling the leopard print top over her head. Then, she removes her jeans and steps into an extremely short denim mini skirt. And finally, she completes the ensemble with a pair of black boots that almost go to her knee and have at least a three inch heel.

"Wow…" is just about all he can say as his throat goes stupidly dry.

She grins and then gets down to business. "Okay, so you pull up and roll down your window and I say… uh…. Looking for something, honey?" She says, her voice as unsure as he's ever heard it.

He shakes his head. "McNally, you've got to sound confident. You need to pretend like you've done this before. You can't look nervous. Whatever you say, just sound confident, okay?" He advises.

"Okay," she nods.

"Okay, so I drive up to you and say… hey, you free?" He begins.

"Depends… What did you have in mind?" She asks, seductively.

He smiles. "Just wanted to have some fun tonight," he replies.

"Well, I can definitely do _fun_ ," she tells him with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Oh I have no doubt," he agrees.

"But I don't do fun for free," she informs him.

"Oh yeah?" He asks with a light chuckle.

"Yeah, and I'm _not_ cheap," she warns.

"Well, I have a feeling you're worth it," he flirts.

"Oh I am," she assures him.

He chuckles and pulls out his wallet. "So how much?" He inquires.

"Four hundred," she replies.

He raises his eyebrows. "You weren't kidding about not being cheap," he responds.

"Best money you'll ever spend," she promises.

"Better be," he grumbles as he pulls some bills from his wallet. He offers it to her and just as she is about to take it, he pulls it out of her reach and says, "okay and that's when you give the signal."

"Right," she nods as he puts the money back in his wallet.

"You did good," he tells her.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you'll be fine tomorrow," he assures her.

"I hope so," she says.

"You will," he promises.

"Thanks."

"Now… I think you should probably show me exactly what I'd be getting for that four hundred dollars," he smirks as he moves closer to her and runs his hands up and down her sides.

She laughs. "I guess I could do that," she agrees with a grin, before she starts to unbuckle his belt. He slips off his shoes while watching her unbutton and unzip his pants before she pushes them down his legs, allowing him to step out of them. Then, he unbuttons and unzips her skirt, letting it fall to the floor. She steps out of it and kicks it to the side. That's when he gets on his knees and unzips her boots, while placing a few kisses on each thigh. She uses his shoulders for balances as he slowly removes each boot. Then, she pulls him up on his feet and quickly lifts his shirt over his head and tosses it aside before he does the same to her shirt.

His eyes slowly rake over her body, enjoying the look of her tanned skin in nothing but her navy lace bra and matching thong. His fingers graze her sides and land on the small of her back before sliding lower and grabbing her ass. Moments later, one hand travels upwards until he reaches the band of her bra. Effortlessly, he unhooks it and then uses both hands to push the straps off her shoulders

before tossing it across the room.

He ends up taking a small step backward and sitting on her bed, so he is face to face with her breasts. She smiles at him, takes a step closer and wraps her arms around his neck, while standing in between his legs. Then, he takes one breast in his mouth while his hand massages the other. Andy throws her head back at the contact while her fingers run through his hair. Eventually, he switches off, putting his mouth on the opposite breast while his hand palms the other. She lets herself enjoy the feeling for another minute before stepping back and pulling him to a stand again. Once he does, she slides his boxers over his hips and lets them fall to the floor as she enjoys the sight of his already hard penis in front of him. She bites her lip in anticipation and pushes him back down on the bed.

She lets him scoot further up so his entire body is lying on the mattress before she climbs on top of him. His hands go up and down her sides while he watches her lower herself onto him. They both let out a groan as he completely fills her up. She starts to slowly rock her hips while she leans forward and kisses him. As their tongues dance, her breasts rub against his bare chest and she circles her hips, allowing her to feel him everywhere.

She's whimpering in his mouth as his hands explore her body. Eventually, they land back on her ass and he uses his grip to help her build up a nice rhythm.

Several minutes later, she eventually pulls away and sits up, holding herself up with her hands on his chest. She starts to bounce up and down on him and he simply enjoys the view for a while. The way her eyes are closed, her mouth is hanging open, her hair is flying around and her breasts are bouncing. Oh and then the noises coming out of her mouth. Yeah, he's really enjoying it. A lot.

" _Sam_ ," she sobs as she starts riding him even faster. "Oh… Oh… Oh God," she moans.

When he sits up with her, she lets out a loud gasp. He's balancing himself with one hand propped behind him and it's creating this amazing angle. He's just hitting her in the absolute perfect spot and each and every time he does, she can't help but gasp.

And then when she starts to lean back a little, it becomes too much. He's suddenly so much deeper and she can't stop all of the noises coming out of her mouth. The grip she's got on his shoulders is so tight that she can barely feel her fingers any more. And when he uses their new position to start sucking on her neck, she know she won't be able to hold on much longer.

She quickens her pace once again and is coming within minutes, taking him with her soon after.

Afterwards, she collapses on top of him, completely limp, and buries her head in his neck while they both catch their breath. She can feel his pulse against her lips as one of his hands goes from being tangled in her hair to drawing lazy patterns on her back.

After a few minutes, their heartrates start to normalize, but they stay in the same place, with Andy still wrapped around him and occasionally placing a few kisses on his neck.

"Hey McNally?" Sam speaks up.

"Yeah?" She mumbles against his skin.

"You know you're not actually supposed to have sex with the Johns, right?" He smirks.

She pulls back and looks at him as she lets out a laugh. "Oh, now you tell me," she quips.

===========Rewritten==========

He walks into the locker to find her pacing around in the same outfit she wore the night before. And yeah, it's doing things to him that he's not exactly proud of.

"You okay?" He asks.

She looks surprised to see him; she was clearly in her own little world and didn't hear him come in.

"I might be freaking out a little," she admits, sheepishly.

"You'll be fine. You did great last night," he reminds her.

"Somehow, I don't think it's really going to be the same… you know, since instead of you being out there, it'll be a bunch of disgusting guys who regularly pay for sex," she exclaims with obvious amounts of disgust.

"Okay, come here," he says, grabbing her hand and leading her towards the shower stalls.

"What are you doing?" She asks, but he doesn't answer. He pushes one of the shower curtains open and pulls her inside.

"You need to relax," he informs her as he starts to unbutton her miniskirt.

"You can't be serious," she says. "We're at work!"

"So, you'll just have to be quiet," he smirks, as he allows her mini skirt to drop to the floor. Then, he dips his finger in between her legs and runs a line up and down her underwear.

She intended to keep arguing about this, but the second he touches her, she can't even formulate one word let alone a sentence or two. Before she can has a chance to admit defeat, she's unconsciously opening her legs, throwing her head back against the tile, fisting the sides of his t-shirt in her hands and biting down on her lip in an effort to remain quiet.

"Shit," she mumbles, already knowing that she doesn't stand a chance. All she can do now is pray they don't get caught because there's no way she's going to force him to stop.

That's when he uses his other hand to push her hair off her neck so he can start sucking on her pulse point, causing her to whimper. Then, he slides his hand inside her underwear and runs his finger around her clit. Before she can stop her, she's moaning at the contact.

"Shh…" he tells her with a smirk. She wants to roll her eyes at him, but instead she just grabs his face and crashes her lips to his, hoping it will muffle the sounds that will inevitably escape. As he slips a finger inside her, she lets out a gasp.

As he continues pumping his finger, he uses his thumb to rub circles around her clit. She's seriously struggling now. She is trying so hard to be quiet, but he just makes it _so_ difficult. Her whole body is tingling at his touch and it doesn't take long for her to be right on the precipice.

Moments later, when he adds more pressure to her clit, she's gone. She pulls her lips away from him and rests her forehead on his chest while she tries her best to quietly enjoy her way through her orgasm.

"Better?" He grins when it's over.

"Mhm," she mumbles into his t-shirt, still extremely flustered by what he just did to her in the woman's locker room.

He lets out a quiet laugh and when she finally pulls away to look at him, he takes a moment to kiss her nice and hard before he bends down to pull her skirt back to her hips and button it up for her. "You'll do great," he tells her, before giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Maybe this will help you get into character," he smirks, eliciting an eye roll from the woman standing in front of him. "Seriously, don't worry. You'll be fine. Just relax and act confident," he advises.

She nods along and he gives her one more kiss before disappearing out of the shower stall and leaving her there to mentally prepare herself.

===========Rewritten==========

"See? I told you that you'd do great," he smiles when he finds her after shift.

"I did okay," she shrugs. "Gail got ten more johns than I did," she reminds him. She was definitely flustered in the beginning, but as the night when on she seemed to get the hang of it.

"Well, some people are just more cut out for the world of prostitution, McNally," he quips. "It's not a trait I would be envious of," he advises with a smirk.

"Hmm… yeah, I guess you're right," she laughs.

"Going to get breakfast with everybody?" He asks.

"No, I need to go home and take a ridiculously long shower… gotta get the hooker smell off of me," she informs him.

"Need any help with that?" He asks, suggestively, after he checks to make sure no one can hear them.

"Actually, I think I might," she says with a grin.

"Lead the way," he says as he holds the door for her and follows her out into the parking lot.

===========Rewritten==========

NEXT CHAPTER- Sam and Andy play a little game whilst on a stakeout and Sam comes to her rescue when she loses a witness.

Please review! And like I said, if you have any ideas on how to improve this story, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks!


	5. Truth

Thanks so much for all of the encouragement everyone! It's really appreciated. In return, I've posted a nice long chapter.

A couple people have mentioned angst in the past few weeks and I just wanted to let you know that there will be some angst coming up, but I'm not planning on having a ton of it. As you can probably tell from my stories, I don't write a ton of angst. I'm just not a huge fan of angst-filled stories and I'm not that great at writing them, so yeah. But there will be a few obstacles to overcome in the future, don't worry.

And if anyone has any ideas for some angst storylines, I'd love to hear them. Like I said, I only have a couple, so I could definitely use more.

=========Rewritten==========

"God, this is _so_ boring," she exclaims.

"It's a stakeout McNally," he shrugs. "It's usually hours of boring spaced in between minutes of excitement," he tells her.

"Ugh," she says with a large sigh. They've been in this stupid van for over three hours and absolutely nothing has happened. Nothing at all. And she's seriously going out of her mind. "Well, you _could_ talk to me, you know."

He laughs and glances over at her. "What would you like to talk about?" He asks with an amused smile.

"Let's play a game of Truth," she suggests with a playful grin.

He quirks an eyebrow. "What?"

"Truth… we take turns asking each other questions and you have to give an honest answer… It's like Truth or Dare but without the dares. You've never played?" She questions.

"Does that really sound like a game I would play?" He asks.

"Yeah, you're right, but c'mon… I'm so bored! …And tonight, I'll make it worth your while," she adds with her bedroom voice and a wiggling of her eyebrows.

He rolls his eyes.

" _Please_ ," she begs.

"Fine," he groans.

She claps her hands excitedly. "Okay… hmm… what do I want to know about Sam Swarek?" She asks with a mischievous smile. And in an instant, he's regretting this decision.

"Andy…" he warns, causing her to let out a giggle.

"Ever used your handcuffs in bed?" She asks with a grin.

He is momentarily stunned. He was expecting some personal questions about his family or his childhood, not this. Definitely not this.

"Uhh…No," he replies.

"Really?"

"I kind of like the women I sleep with to participate," he tells her with a quirked eyebrow.

"Oh so you're saying that if you found me handcuffed to your bed one night, you wouldn't have your way with me?" She asks suspiciously.

"Well, I'm not saying _that_ ," he admits with a laugh.

"That's what I thought," she responds with a pleased look on her face.

"So what about you? You ever use _your_ handcuffs in bed?" He asks.

"Nope… Although, whenever I start talking to a guy at a bar and I tell them I'm a cop, it's pretty much the first thing out of their mouth… ' _Ohh baby, you can use your handcuffs on me anytime you want_.'" she says as she does a dramatic imitation of just about every moron who has hit on her at a bar. "Bleh," she adds with a disgusted look on her face.

He lets out a laugh.

"Okay, my turn. Ever have sex while undercover?" She asks.

"Nope… it's kind of against the rules," he reminds her.

"I thought you didn't follow the rules," she replies with a smirk.

He shrugs.

"So you really went eight months without sex?" She asks him.

"Yeah... I mean, it's not like I _enjoyed_ it," he tells her. "Especially when this incredibly persistent rookie tackled me, felt me up and ogled me while I was half naked in the locker room… It was like she was _trying_ to torture me," he says with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I'm pretty sure she made it up to you the next night, didn't she?" Andy asks with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess she did," he laughs.

"And I was _not_ ogling," she insists.

He shoots her a look. "Really?" He asks, obviously not buying it.

"Okay fine, maybe I was a little," she chuckles.

"Yeah, I thought so," he says, obviously pleased with himself.

"Okay, your turn," she reminds him.

"Uh… craziest place you've ever had sex?" he wonders.

"Hm… oh! Okay, so my friend Tammy had two little sisters who were way younger than her and in their backyard they had this really big, fancy playhouse type of thing. So, one weekend her parents were out of town and she threw this party. It wasn't _too_ crazy, but I got pretty drunk. And I had been dating this guy for a couple months and we ended up having sex in the playhouse. It was _super_ awkward and uncomfortable, though. Not good at all… well, I mean, not for me, anyway," she explains. "Oh and of course, afterwards he didn't throw the condom away and just tossed it on the ground. It was dark so I didn't see him do it," she explains. "And then a few days later, her sister found it and showed her mom… yeah, Tammy got grounded for like two months. And I never told her that it was me," Andy confesses.

"That's nice, McNally," he tells her, sarcastically.

"Shut up. I felt terrible!" she says, playfully hitting him on the shoulder. They both laugh for a moment before she asks her next question. "Ever have sex at the station?"

"Nope," he responds.

"Really? Never?" She questions.

"Nope… never slept with anyone I work with before," he explains with a shrug.

Andy hms while trying to contain the grin that's threatening to appear. She's not really sure why that makes her smile, but it definitely does.

Then the van becomes quiet and neither one of them says anything for maybe thirty seconds until Andy eventually speaks up.

"You know…. this kind of reminds me of a sex dream I had last week," she mentions.

His eyebrows shoot up. "What?" He chokes out.

"We were doing surveillance and I was complaining that I was bored and you… offered to entertain me," she tells him suggestively.

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm."

"And did I?" He smirks.

"Definitely," she grins.

"And how did I do that?" He asks, using that bedroom voice that just makes her melt. He's sliding closer to her and starts running his hand up and down her thigh. And yeah, she really shouldn't encourage this but she already knows that she will.

She grins and meets his eyes. "Well, first you pulled me onto your lap," she explains, as she moves to straddle him.

"Mhm…" he says, wanting her to continue, as his finger graze further up her thighs.

"And then you kissed me," she continues as she leans in for a kiss. He happily meets her in the middle and their tongues immediately begin to dance while Andy bucks her hips and they both groan at the friction.

"And then you-" she begins as they pull away.

But, then she is interrupted by the radio cackling to life.

"1508 to 1504. Sammy, Diaz and I coming to relieve you. We're a block out," Oliver tells him, causing them both to groan at the same time.

"He has impeccable timing," Sam whines.

"Yeah," Andy concurs as she climbs off his lap. God, she really needs to get ahold of herself. She was minutes away from having sex with her training officer in a surveillance van. She really needs to figure out a way to control herself around him. Yeah, she should probably work on that.

"We're finishing this after shift," he warns her.

"Oh I'm counting on it," she grins, before she moves to straighten out her uniform.

=========Rewritten==========

Forty minutes later, he's got her shirtless and pressed up against his front door as he assaults her neck with his mouth.

She hurrying to get his pants off, but when he starts to nibble on her ear, her concentration wavers for a minute. Eventually, his lips return to her mouth and she's finally able to push his jeans down his legs, allowing him to kick them off.

They're both pretty wound up and desperate, so it only takes another minute or so before the rest of their clothes are in a pile on the floor and her arms and legs wrapped around him.

"Oh God," she moans while he slips insides of her. Her legs tighten around him and he uses the hold he has on her ass to build a nice rhythm. Her fingers are running through his hair while he spends some time marking up her neck. Every time he does it, she means to yell at him but the words just never seem to come out- probably because she likes it a way too much to ever make him stop.

So, the next five minutes are spent with him fucking her against the wall until he makes the executive decision to put her down on the kitchen table. He just really likes to get his hands all over her and he can't do that when he physically has to hold her up.

She starts out sitting with her hands propping her up behind her back. His mouth and fingers are exploring her as he continues to thrust in and out. And all of the sensations at once are honestly mind-numbing. Her chin is in the air and her eyes are closed as she enjoys every feeling he's stirring up inside of her.

When her arms start to buckle under her, she decides to lean all the way back and lie flat on the table. And when she lifts one of her legs and swings it over his shoulder, she feels her whole body start to tingle.

"Jesus," he groans as he feels her tighten around him.

" _Sam_ … feels _so_ good," she sobs. "So fucking good," she adds.

"Christ, McNally," he growls as he starts to speed up. God, he kind of looses it when she says shit like that.

"Oh… Oh… Sam… Oh fuck," she moans as he starts to angle his hips, causing him to hit her in a different spot with each thrust.

That's when he takes her other leg, throws it over his shoulder and pulls her to the edge of the kitchen table so she's as close to him as possible. She's even tighter now and it only makes her get louder, which is only pushing him closer to the edge.

"Oh God… _Sam_ ," she moans as she shuts her eyes and bites down on her lower lip. "Oh God."

And he's got her coming in a matter of minutes.

When she finally starts to calm down, she sits up on the table with him still inside her. She gives him a passionate kiss before she pushes at his chest so he'll step back. In the process, he pulls out of her and she jumps off the table before giving him another kiss and then turning around. She plants both hands on the table and then arches her back. She throws a grin over her shoulder and then faces forward again. "Sam… like this," she whines as she bumps her ass into him.

God, sometimes he is just in disbelief by this woman. Every time he thinks she couldn't possibly get any sexier, she goes and does something like that.

He immediately grabs her hips and lines them up before sliding his way inside.

" _Oh_ ," she moans as he bottoms out. He starts off slow and even though she's not normally a fan of slow, it's seriously working for her right now. She starts to circle her hips a bit and suddenly, she can already feel another orgasm building. God, the shit he does to her sometimes- it's a bit ridiculous. She never used to have multiple orgasms like this, but with Sam, it's a pretty common occurrence.

"Sam," she sobs as she starts to change the angle by standing up straighter.

"Shit, Andy," he groans as he gets even deeper.

"Oh… Oh God. _Sam_ ," she moans as she arches her back enough so her head is just centimeters from his, allowing him to get her ear in between his teeth. "God… love when you do that," she tells him.

He lets out another groan with his warm breath directed straight at her ear, causing a shiver to roll down her spine. That's when he takes one of her knees and lifts it so she can rest it on the kitchen table.

"Sam," she gasps as it happens. Fuck, that feels good. Like, _really_ good.

When he quickens the pace, the room is suddenly filled with moans, heavy breathing and calls to God.

It's only another minute until they are both falling right over the edge.

"Um. Wow," she says, once they've finally caught their breath.

"Yeah," he concurs before he pulls out of her and she turns around to face him. She wraps her arms around him and he grabs at her waist, pulling her flush against him and pressing his lips against hers. He coaxes her mouth open and strokes her tongue with his for a bit until they eventually pull away.

"See? I bet the next time I ask you to play a game of Truth, I won't have to ask twice," she says with a grin.

"Yeah, I guess it wasn't _so_ bad," he agrees with a smirk.

=========Rewritten==========

It's a few days later and Sam is driving Andy home after an incredibly long day. It would have been a rough one even if he _hadn't_ been hungover, but thanks to poker night, it had been brutal.

"Hey Sam?" She says, turning to face him.

"Yeah?" He replies, taking his eyes off the road for a moment to glance at her.

"Thanks for everything today… seriously… helping me find Benny, loaning me your truck, going to fix Marie's plumbing… I just… I can't believe you did all of that… especially after I used Luke to get out of riding with you this morning," she tells him with an apologetic smile.

He lets out a laugh. "It's okay, McNally. I know I'm kind of an ass when I'm hungover," he admits.

"Just when you're hungover?" She quips, with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Hey!" he says, stealing a glance at her. "After everything I did for you today and you're insulting me?" He asks, incredulously.

She lets out a giggle. "I'm just kidding," she assures him.

"Mhm," he grumbles as they pull up into Andy's apartment complex. "Here we are," he announces as he pulls into a parking spot.

"You want to come up? I can give you something for that hangover," she tells him.

"Oh yeah? Are you going to make me drink some revolting mixture of pickle juice, raw eggs and peanut butter?" He asks.

"God no, that's disgusting," she replies with a face full of horror.

He lets out a laugh and turns off his car. "Jerry swears by it," he tells her.

"Ew," she comments with a appalled expression on her face.

"Let's go," he tells her, before they get out of the truck and make their way to her apartment. "Okay, so what is this hangover cure of yours?" He asks when they walk into her kitchen.

She just glances over at him with a smile before grabbing his hand and pulling him towards her family room. When they reach the couch, she takes one last look at him before she reaches down and starts unbuckling his belt.

"Oh so I need to take my pants off for this?" He smirks.

"Mhm… having pants on definitely decreases its effectiveness," she retorts as she unbuttons and unzips his pants, while he watches on with amusement. He decides to toe his shoes off and she pushes his jeans down to his ankles before he steps out of them. She stands on her toes and begins to nip at his neck while reaching into his boxers and grabbing him.

"Jesus Andy," he groans at her touch. His hands have snuck just under the hem of her shirt as she runs her hand up and down him until he's completely hard. Moments later, she pushes him backwards until his knees hit the couch and he sits down. That's when she kneels in between his legs and shoots him a big grin as her hand continues stroking him.

"Andy, you don't have to-"

"Shh," she says, holding her hand up to stop him. "I want to," she assures him. .

He sucks in a breath as she takes him completely in her mouth. "Christ," he spits out as he shuts his eyes and relishes the feeling of hitting the back of her throat.

Her lips run up and down him a few times before she adds her hand back into the mix, allowing her mouth to follow her fingers. He quickly pushes the hair out of her face, wanting a completely unobstructed view of everything she's doing to him.

She spends the next several minutes licking, sucking and gently squeezing him while he eggs her on with a multitude of appreciative noises. And then when she starts to moan with him in her mouth, he's really on edge.

"Andy…" he warns, but that only makes her go faster and squeeze him just a little bit harder. "Fuck," he spits out.

She's moaning, licking, sucking and squeezing all at once and it's seriously way too much. So, it's only a five minutes later that he's spilling inside of her. She runs her mouth over him a few more times, allowing him to fully enjoy his orgasm before she finally lets him go.

"Wow…" he says as he tries to catch his breath.

"Feel better?" She grins.

He's not sure he could even begin to form half a sentence right now, so he just nods, while he finally starts to get his breathing under control.

She plops down on the couch beside him while he puts himself back into his boxers. "You're really something else, you know that?" He tells her.

She grins and before she knows it, he's picking up her up bridal style and carrying her towards her bedroom.

"What are you doing?" She asks with amusement as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"Going to say thank you," he replies as he puts her down next to her bed and starts to remove her jeans.

"But _I_ was the one who needed to say thank you," she reminds him with a smile.

"And you did. Now it's my turn," he responds, as he sits her down on the bed and pulls her jeans off of her.

"Sam, seriously, that's not necessary," she insists as he slowly pulls her underwear down her legs.

"I want to," he tells her, meeting her gaze and grinning at her as he repeats her earlier words.

She smiles at him and leans in for a kiss. When they pull away, he lifts her shirt over her head and quickly unhooks her bra. Then, he gestures for her to scoot all the way back on the bed and once she does, he climbs on top of her.

He cups her face, brushes his nose with her and then kisses her again. They kiss a few times before he moves to her throat. He starts sucking on her neck, causing her to whimper and arch her back into him. Then he moves down to her collarbone, down her chest and eventually to her breasts. He takes turns taking each breast in his mouth while she runs her hands through his hair. Then, he continues making his way down, placing kisses down her stomach and eventually her hips bones and then her thighs.

She is starting to get impatient as she opens her legs and bends them a bit, giving him access to where she really wants him. He decides not to tease her tonight and gives her just what she wants.

And then, he thanks her. Twice.

=========Rewritten==========

They've been lying in bed, tangled in the sheets for maybe ten minutes when she speaks up.

"Is Luke always like that?" She asks, out of the blue.

"Really? You're bringing up Callahan in bed _again_?" He asks, with a teasing tone. "You better not make this a habit, McNally," he warns.

She rolls her eyes. "He called Benny evidence, Sam. It's like he wasn't even a person to him… God, I just… I just never want to end up like that… seeing someone as evidence instead of as an actual person."

"I don't see that happening, Andy," he assures her.

"Sometimes it seems like he doesn't even care about the victims. It's all just about solving the mystery, you know?" She muses.

"Yeah well, detectives can get lost in the puzzle sometimes," Sam replies.

"I just never want to be the kind of cop that doesn't care about people," she says again.

"So what kind of cop do you want to be?" He wonders.

She thinks about it for a second before eventually responding. "I wouldn't mind being a cop like you," she says, thoughtfully.

A smile graces his lips and he pushes a lock of hair behind her ear. Her words are doing things to him that he couldn't even begin to explain.

"Sucking up to the boss, McNally?" he quips, feeling the need to deflect with humor.

She playfully hits him on the chest. "No, I'm serious," she assures him. "I mean, I'd probably be a little better at following the rules, but you really are a great cop. You have your own set of rules and morals and… I don't know, it just works," she continues.

He smiles and leans in to kiss her. "Thanks," he whispers when they pull apart.

"And as much as you try to pretend otherwise, you do actually care about people… you're a really good guy," she tells him.

"Just don't let that get out. Don't wanna ruin my reputation," he quips, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Seriously Sam, thanks for today," she says with a smile.

"Anytime, McNally," he tells her before leaning in for a kiss.

=========Rewritten==========

Well, there's the next chapter. Hope you liked it.

I know it's kind of a transitional chapter, but there's more coming up.

Please review!


	6. The First Sleepover

As always, thanks for all of the amazing reviews! They seriously are a huge source of motivation, so thank you to everyone you leaves one.

Hope you enjoy!

=========Rewritten ==========

He's been sneaking glances at her all night. He keeps telling himself not to look, but he just can't help it. They're in the middle of an insane heatwave, so nobody is really wearing much clothing, but the outfit she has on tonight is driving him a bit crazy. She's wearing a super tiny tank top with short denim shorts and strappy sandals. And of course, every time she reaches over the bar to get something, he can see down her shirt just enough to make him want to drag her out of the bar and into his bed. And he swears that she noticed him looking and now she's doing it on purpose. There is no way she needs _that_ many napkins.

He's desperately trying to pay attention to the story Oliver is telling, but she's grabbing another napkin and he can see even further down her shirt this time.

Yeah, that's when he decides enough is enough and starts to formulate a plan on how he can get her out of here without being too conspicuous. Luckily, just a few minutes later she is left alone at the bar when Dov challenges Chris to a game of darts. He feeds Oliver some lie about promising to give Andy a ride home and walks right up to her.

"Are you teasing me, McNally?" He asks as he leans against the bar beside her.

"Me? Would I do such a thing?" She asks with a grin.

"Wouldn't you?" He replies with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not," she laughs.

"Well, you've flashed the entire bar at least four times," he points out.

"You're counting?" She grins.

"Maybe," he smiles. "Wanna go outside? I think I need some fresh air," he tells her.

"Okay," she laughs.

When they walk out of the Penny, he checks the parking lot to make sure no one can see them before he leads her behind the building.

"Where are we going?" She asks, but he doesn't answer. The minute they are completely away from all of the prying eyes, he has her up against the wall. Within seconds, his tongue is caressing hers and his hands are roaming her body. Moments later, he starts sucking on her neck, nibbling her ear, squeezing her hips, grabbing her ass and slowly sliding his hand up her thighs. She's panting and moaning and then- just like that, he pulls away and starts walking back to the door.

"What are you doing?" She asks, breathless.

"Payback's a bitch, McNally," he smirks over his shoulder.

"Sam!" she exclaims with a big frown on her face.

"Yes?" He asks as he turns around to look at her. And of course she's pouting. And she looks adorable. And yeah, he's screwed.

"Wanna get out of here?" She asks with a smile.

"Okay," he shrugs, before following her to his truck. And yeah, they barely make it in the door before their clothes are in a pile on the floor and he's doing her against his refrigerator.

=========Rewritten==========

She feels frozen. She has no idea what to do or say in this situation. The whole thing is just completely awkward and she doesn't know how to make it seem even halfway normal.

She's never seen Sam act this way. He's always so confident, so sure of himself, but right now he's fumbling over his words and running into her has apparently caught him off guard. He's just staring at her, seemingly in shock over the whole thing. And he doesn't introduce them, which makes it feel even more weird.

But then, she introduces herself. Her name's Monica.

And then Sam finally gets his voice and tells Monica that _McNally_ is his rookie. She doesn't know why, but the way he says it just bugs her.

It's completely obvious there is something between them- or at the very least, there was. She's touching him and she's definitely a bit flirty, and yeah, that _really_ bugs her.

She really shouldn't be jealous. She's not even sure what this thing is between her and Sam- or if it's even anything at all.

They probably should have discussed this, but it never seemed important before today. Are they just hooking up? Are they more than that? Who knows? She definitely doesn't.

Although, now she's wondering if he's been seeing Monica, too. And yeah, she shouldn't be jealous. She doesn't have any right to be. Sam isn't her boyfriend. They aren't dating. So yeah, he's allowed to see other women if he wants. She can't be jealous.

But she is.

Dammit.

And of course, she's really pretty. Blonde and skinny and beautiful blue eyes.

And she basically forces Sam to go with her to get some stitches. And the fact that he goes shouldn't annoy her- I mean, he _does_ need stitches. But yeah, it does annoy her. Sure, he did sort of try to get out of it, but he didn't really try _that_ hard.

And what sucks even more is that instead of just telling Andy to wait for him, he pawns her off on Oliver and promises him she'll do his paperwork. It's like he _wants_ to be alone with Monica and doesn't want Andy hanging around.

Maybe she's overthinking this. Yeah, she's probably just overthinking this.

"You ready, McNally?" Oliver calls to her.

"Oh, yes Sir," she replies as she hurries after him.

=========Rewritten==========

He waits for her after his shift. She's been giving her statement for over an hour and a half, so he's been waiting almost that long. He did stop by the hospital to bring Oliver a burger, but then he came right back and resumed waiting.

When he finally sees her, she's walking into the locker room, so he decides to follow.

"Hey," he greets her when he walks in the door. She has her face buried in her locker when he enters, but she steps back to look at him when she hears his voice.

"Hey," she replies. She sounds so exhausted and defeated and broken and he absolutely hates it.

"Can I take you home?" He asks, placing a soothing hand on the small of her back.

"That would be great, thanks," she says with a barely-there smile, before she turns back to her locker.

"Hey," he says, trying to re-capture her attention. When she looks up at him, he continues. "I know this is hard and it… it _should_ be hard, but you did the right thing. You saved that little girl, you saved yourself, you saved Oliver… you did what every good cop would do. I know that doesn't make it easier, but you just have to keep telling yourself that until you believe it, okay?" He tells her, desperately trying to make her believe his words.

"Yeah," she nods as she pulls her bag from her locker and shuts it.

"C'mon, let's go," he tells her, leading her out of the locker room.

When they get to her apartment, they just sit in his truck for a minute.

"Do you want to talk?" He asks, running a hand down her back.

"No," she says with a shake of her head. "I think I just need to be alone for a bit," she tells him as she reaches for the door handle.

"Okay… if you change your mind, just call me, okay? Anytime. Don't worry about waking me up," he tells her.

"Thanks Sam," she says with a small smile, before she gets out of his truck and makes her way inside.

She is in her apartment for maybe half an hour before she just can't stand it anymore. She's been sobbing ever since she walked in the door and now she just needs to get out of there. Without thinking, she grabs her keys, runs out the door and doesn't stop. The street lights are out and people are laughing and playing outside, but she just keeps running. She's not even sure if she knows where she's going, but then she ends up at that familiar front door and she realizes that she probably knew along that this was where she'd end up.

She knocks on the door as she tries to catch her breath. She sees the surprised look on his face the second he opens the door.

"Hey," he says.

"Hey," she replies.

"Come on in," he tells her, gesturing behind him, not even bothering to ask what she's doing there. And for that, she's thankful because she doesn't think she'd have the answer.

She nods, and he steps aside to allow her in. His place is pretty dark, except for some strategically placed candles. She walks by him and goes further inside until she feels his hand on her arm.

"Hey," he says, trying to get her attention.

She turns around to look at him, but doesn't say anything.

"You okay?" He asks, although he knows it's a stupid question. "You wanna talk?" He questions. And she can see the concern in his eyes and for some reason, it's sort of comforting.

"Yeah," she says with a nod and a heavy sigh.

"Come on," he replies, leading her towards the couch. He sits down and she sits right up beside him while turning to face him.

"I just… I got home and I couldn't stop seeing it- the blood, him lying on the floor, the look in his face when I shot him… I couldn't stop thinking," she explains. "I just want to stop seeing it every time I close my eyes," she tells him.

"I know," he says as he wraps an arm around her and pulls her even closer. She relents and snuggles up next to him while resting her head on his chest.

"Can I stay here tonight?" She asks, after a few minutes go by. "I just… I really don't want to be alone," she adds. They never stay at each other's places overnight and it's not something she would ever ask of him, but the thought of going home is just unfathomable to her right now.

"Of course," he tells her as he runs a soothing hand up and down her back.

"Thanks," she says with a small smile. He nods his head and continues to run circles up and down her back. "Have _you_ ever killed anyone?" She asks, after a minute or two of silence.

"Twice," he informs it.

"How do you get over it?" She wonders, tilting her head to look up at him.

He considers the question for a moment before answering. "I'm not sure if you _ever_ really get over it," he explains. "I think that every day it just gets a little easier to deal with," he says. "Talking about it helps," he adds at the last minute.

She nods and starts to fidget with her hands, before she eventually looks up at him. "I really don't want to think about it anymore. I just want to turn my brain off for a bit," she admits.

"Okay," he says. "But when you do want to talk about it, come find me, okay?" He asks as he pushes some hair out of her face. "I meant it… anytime," he adds.

"I will," she promises.

He nods and continues to hold her as silence falls over them. After a minute, she starts to yawn and he can tell she's absolutely exhausted. To be honest, he's pretty exhausted himself.

"You tired? Wanna go to bed?" He asks her.

"Yeah," she nods, before he helps her up off the couch and leads her to his bedroom.

"Here you can wear this to sleep in," he tells her as he passes her one of his t-shirts. "And there should be a new toothbrush in the drawer in the bathroom," he informs her as he removes his t-shirt and changes into his flannel pajamas bottoms.

"Thanks," she says as she starts to get undressed. Once they're changed, they brush their teeth together and then slide into bed. She snuggles right up beside him and rests her head on his chest as their legs tangle together.

"Thanks for letting me stay," she tells him.

"You can stay whenever you want," he replies, as if it's no big deal. The truth is, he definitely wouldn't mind if she stayed over all the time.

And that's when she remembers the thoughts that had been occupying her mind before the shooting. For a few minutes, she debates bringing it up. She doesn't want to come off as jealous or clingy and she doesn't want to make things uncomfortable between them, but she does _really_ want to know.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" She asks as she lifts her head to meet his gaze for a moment before suddenly becoming extremely interested in drawing strange patterns on his bare chest.

"Sure," he replies.

"Um…what's the deal with you and Monica?" She asks, ensuring that her tone is light and doesn't sound anywhere near accusatory or jealous.

"There is no deal," he replies, simply.

That's when she meets his eyes and gives him a look- the one with the quirked eyebrow that says she doesn't entirely believe the words coming out of his mouth. "Look, it's not really any of my business, it's just that if you're seeing someone else than we should uh… we should start using protection," she tells him. It seems like a pretty reasonable excuse for why she would need to know, and it _is_ true.

"I'm not seeing Monica," he assures her. "There _was_ something between us, but it's been over for a long time," he tells her.

"So you used to date," She says, evenly.

"I guess you could say that… I hadn't seen her since I went under … I guess she thought that maybe there was still something there," he admits.

"Is there?" She wonders.

"No," he replies.

"So… you're _not_ seeing anybody else?" She asks, hesitantly. She really doesn't want to be _that_ girl, but she honestly can't seem to help herself.

"Nope," he says with a shake of his head. "What about you?" He asks.

"No," she tells him.

"Good to know," he replies with a nod.

"Mhm," she agrees. And then she really has no idea what to say. She still has a lot of unanswered questions, but for now, they can wait.

=========Rewritten==========

The next morning he wakes up with his face buried in her hair, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and her back right up against his front.

And yeah, it's kind of nice.

He glances at the clock and realizes that he's got to get up for work. He very slowly gets out of bed, careful not to wake her. She has the next couple of days off because of the shooting and he really wants to let her sleep. She woke up more than once last night with nightmares and it always took her a while to fall back asleep.

Every time she woke up, he did too, and he hated seeing her like that. He'd always end up spending the next twenty or so minutes trying to soothe her back to sleep. They would lie in bed with their legs tangled together and their arms wrapped tightly around each other while she buried her face in his chest and he whispered in her ear, assuring her that it would be okay. And eventually, she'd fall back to sleep and soon after, he would too.

So yeah, he really wants to let her sleep in, so he quietly makes his way into the bathroom and gets into the shower.

Ten minutes later, he's showered, brushed his teeth, gotten dressed and made a pot of coffee. When he walks back into his bedroom, she's still wrapped up in the sheets sleeping. He doesn't want to wake her, but he's got to get going.

He leans down and kisses her and then remains hovering over her as he watches her eyes flutter open.

"Hey, I've got to go work," he tells her, quietly.

"Oh okay, I'll get dressed," she says, starting to get up. He put his hand on her shoulder and stops her.

"Andy, it's fine. Why don't you just stay?" he suggests.

"No, it's fine. I'll get up," she replies.

"You're exhausted. Just stay here," he says again.

"You sure?" She asks, in between a yawn.

"Of course," he replies. "I'll leave the spare key on the counter so you can lock up if you decide to leave, but if you want to hang out here today, I should be back around five," he informs her as he pushes a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Okay," she nods as her eyelids start to get heavy.

"I'll call you later to check in on you," he tells her. "There's coffee in the kitchen and just help yourself to whatever if you get hungry."

"Thanks," she says with a smile.

"And call if you need anything, okay?" He adds.

"Mhm," she nods.

He smiles and gives her another kiss before heading out. A minute later, she hears the front door open before the sound of his truck driving away fills the room. She stretches out in his bed and closes her eyes again, hoping that she'll be able to drift off to sleep again.

And that's when she realizes that she actually spent the night in someone else's bed. And notwithstanding the occasional nightmare, she actually slept pretty well.

Weird.

=========Rewritten==========

Hope you liked it!

Please review!


	7. Deception

Here's a nice long chapter for you…. Enjoy!

=========Rewritten==========

Two days later, Sam is changing in the locker room after shift when Oliver walks in.

"Jesus Sammy… have fun last night?" He asks as he walks towards him and opens his locker.

"What?" Sam asks, shooting him a confused look as he pulls his t-shirt over his head.

"Have you looked in a mirror lately? Your back is covered in claw marks and you have a hickey right here," he says as he points to his own collarbone.

"Oh," Sam says with a shrug.

"Oh? That's it? Who is she?" Oliver asks as he starts to unbutton his uniform.

"No one," Sam replies.

"No one? Seriously? C'mon, I _knew_ you were seeing someone. You've been _way_ too chipper," he tells him.

"Chipper? Really?" Sam asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yes. Chipper," Oliver nods. "Now, who is she?"

Sam lets out a big sigh. "No one you know, okay? I met her a few weeks ago… at the gym," he lies.

"Oh… Okay, good," Oliver responds.

"Good?" Sam repeats.

"Uh, well… I don't know. I was a little worried that maybe…" Oliver hesitates.

"Maybe…?"

"Maybe you started something with your rookie," he admits with a shrug.

"What?"

"I don't know… I've just been getting this vibe that maybe there was something going on with the two of you," he says with a shrug. "I mean, you drive her home from the Penny a lot."

"She doesn't have a car and it's on my way home," Sam explains.

"Okay. And you let her drive your truck," Oliver points out.

"Yeah, well, I was hung over and I just wanted her to go away," Sam shrugs.

"Okay, well, I'm just happy you're happy, brother," Oliver concedes. "And that said happiness is not a result of sleeping with your rookie," he adds. "Because you know, that's against the rules."

"Yeah, thanks," Sam says with a roll of his eyes.

=========Rewritten==========

"Hey, so how was your shift?" She asks as she stirs some spaghetti sauce in a pot over the stove. In the last three days that she hasn't been at work, she's been making A LOT of food. Every day when he comes over, she has dinner waiting for him. And she even baked cookies for him to eat during shift. Yeah, he doesn't hate it.

"It was fine," he says with a shrug as he takes a sip of his beer.

"Fine? That's it? Sam, I'm living vicariously through you right now. I need more than fine!" She exclaims.

He lets out a laugh and puts his beer down on the counter. "Sorry, it was a really quiet shift," he says with a shrug. "Oh, but there was one thing that happened today," he mentions.

"Oh yeah?" She asks, glancing over at him.

"Yeah, I uh… I sort of had to tell Shaw that I'm seeing some someone," he tells her.

"What?"

"He saw the souvenirs you left on my back," he says with a grin and that teasing tone of his.

"Oh, oops," she replies with a blush. "You could've just said it was a one night stand," she suggests.

"Yeah well, he assumed that I've been seeing someone… says I've been too chipper lately," he explains.

"Chipper? Really? You?" She says, incredulously.

"I know!" he exclaims with a laugh.

"So where did you meet this imaginary woman?" Andy asks with a smirk.

"At the gym," he answers.

"Original," she quips.

"Shut up," he says with a playful roll of his eyes.

"And what does she look like?" She continues.

"Well, if she's with me, she's obviously hot," he tells her.

"Oh of course. What was I thinking?"

"Yeah. Ollie was pretty relieved. He was convinced I was sleeping with my rookie," he confesses.

"What?" Andy asks with wide eyes. "You're joking."

"Nope. I let you drive my truck, so we're obviously having sex," he explains.

"Right," she says as she bites down her bottom lip.

"Andy, relax. He was just a little suspicious, but it's fine now," he tells her as he runs his hands up and down her sides, trying to comfort her.

"Mhm," she nods.

"Should I not have told you?" He asks. "I just… I didn't want you to hear about me seeing someone and think… I don't know… I just figured you should know," he explains.

"No, no… I'm glad you told me," she replies.

"Okay, then please don't be weird about this… It's not a big deal. It's just Shaw," Sam tells her.

"But if he suspected something then other people might, too!" she points out.

"Andy, suspecting something and having proof of something are two very different things," he reminds her.

"I know," she responds, still biting her lip.

"Do you… do you want to stop doing… this?" He asks, gesturing between the two of them.

She looks up at him and suddenly, he's holding his breath. He's pretty sure she's going to tell him that they have to stop and he just… he doesn't want to. He _really_ doesn't want to.

She lets out a big sigh. "No," she answers, simply and he releases the breath he's been holding. "I don't," she adds.

"Good," he says with a smile. He pushes a lock of hair behind her ear and leans in for a quick kiss. "Look, you really don't need to worry about this, okay? I don't think anyone else pays close enough attention to us to notice things like me letting you drive my truck or giving you a ride once in a while. And as long as Frank doesn't walk in on us having sex in an interrogation room, I think we're fine," he says with a laugh.

"Yeah, okay," she says with a roll of her eyes.

"Plus, only another six weeks and then you'll be cut loose and it won't matter anymore," he reminds her.

"Yeah… Yeah, you're right," she says with a smile.

"Yeah, and then we can have sex in whatever interrogation room we want," he teases.

"God, you're ridiculous," she says with yet another roll of her eyes.

=========Rewritten==========

"So, tomorrow's the big day," he announces the next night, as they're sitting on his couch watching the hockey game together.

"Yep," she says with a nod as her hands roam his chest a little.

"You excited?" He asks as he runs his fingers through her hair. "Nervous?"

"Excited," she confirms with a smile. "God, I feel like all I've been doing for the past week is sitting on my couch watching soap operas," she whines.

"I don't think that's _all_ you've been doing," he says, suggestively, reminding her that she's also been doing him… a lot.

"Hm, that's true," she grins.

"You need a ride tomorrow?" He asks.

"No, Traci insisted on picking me up," Andy replies.

"Okay, well then I'll see you at the station… and I'll bring the coffee," he tells her.

"From Amelia's?" She asks with a hopeful smile as she shifts to straddle his lap.

"Where else?" He quips as his hands land on her waist.

She grins and then leans in for a kiss. "It sucks we aren't gonna be riding together, though," she admits as she pulls away.

"Yeah. Retraining day," he remarks with a nod.

"Yep, which means that on my first day back I get to do community service. _Bleh_ ," she comments.

"Well, at least it's better than soap operas," he replies.

"True," she agrees.

=========Rewritten==========

He's watching Noelle beat the shit out of one of the officers from the night shift when he feels a tap on his arm. When he turns around to see Andy standing there with a strange look on her face, he's a bit concerned.

"Can we talk?" She asks, before he has a chance to ask her what's wrong.

"Yeah," he agrees before following her out the door. She leads him into an empty observation room and then proceeds to chew on her fingernails.

"What's going on?" He asks, as he puts one hand on her waist and the other on her face so she'll look up at him.

"Um… so… Chris and I… well…" she begins, completely fumbling over her words.

"Andy, what's wrong?" He asks as his concern starts to grow.

"You know Detective Bibby, right?" Andy asks.

"He's Peck's partner, right?" Sam questions.

"Mhm," she nods as she starts to stare at a spot on the wall.

"What about him?" Sam asks, trying to redirect her attention.

"He um… he stole evidence," Andy informs him.

"What?" He asks with raised eyebrows.

"Sam, he's… he's dirty… we have _proof_ ," she tells him. "What should I do? I mean… I can't just let this go, right? But when I went to talk to him, he-"

"You _talked_ to him?" Sam asks, obviously not pleased with the idea.

"Yeah, we wanted to get his side of the story, but he… he kind of… threatened us," Andy admits.

"What do you mean _threatened_ you? Physically?" Sam asks.

"He said that he would ruin us... He said no one would believe a rookie with a disaster for an old man over a detective with an impeccable record and… and he's right isn't he?" She questions.

He lets out a giant sigh and starts to pinch the bridge of his nose as he thinks about what needs to happen.

"Sam?" She says, pulling him out of his thoughts.

He looks up at her and puts both hands on her shoulders. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna tell me everything you know and I'll go talk to Frank… try to keep you and Diaz out of it," he decides.

"What? No!" she argues. "Sam, I'm not letting you do that," she tells him.

"Andy," he says, using his no nonsense T.O. voice. "He's right… no one will believe you… you're a rookie and they don't know you… a lot of people will turn against you. It will be you against him and they'll take his side," he tells her. "But people know me and they know I wouldn't do this without real evidence… they'll believe me. It will be fine," he assures her.

"Sam… I don't like it," she replies.

"I know, but this is what has to happen," he tells her. "It'll be fine. It will be a thing for a week or two and then it will blow over," he promises. "It would be a lot worse if it was you coming forward," he tells her again.

She lets out a large breath and then nods her head.

"Okay, so start from the beginning. Tell me everything."

============Rewritten===========

"So what happened?" Andy asks when she sees him walk out of Frank's office. She's been anxiously pacing the barn ever since he walked in there forty five minutes ago.

"Frank made some calls; they're going to put Bibby on paid leave while they investigate," he informs her.

"Okay. Good," Andy says with a nod.

"But Andy… since you confronted Bibby, I don't think we'll be able to keep your names completely out of it. He's going to assume it was you and Diaz, so the story is that I asked you two to look into it a little bit since I was stuck at retraining, okay?" He asks.

"Okay," she nods.

"Okay," he says as he lets out a breath. "You wanna go to the Penny? I need a drink," he says.

"I probably need three drinks," she tells him.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," he agrees, before they walk out of the barn together. "Let's call Diaz on the way, okay? Make sure we're all on the same page," he instructs her.

"Yeah," she agrees as she pulls out her phone and hits speed dial 7.

Exactly eight minutes later, they are walking into the Penny. They've barely taken two sips of their drinks when they hear a confrontation going on behind them. When they turn around to investigate, they see Steve Peck yelling at Chris.

Before Andy even has a chance to comprehend what's going on, Sam is out of his chair and making his way towards them. Once her brain finally catches up to what's happening, she runs after him.

"Peck, calm the fuck down," Sam tells him.

"Sammy, you gotta get a handle on your rookies!" Steve shouts. "They need to learn their place… they need to mind their own business," he snaps.

"My rookies were just following orders," Sam informs him, causing Steve to jerk back in surprise.

"Whose orders?" Steve wonders.

"Mine," Sam informs him.

"Yours?" Steve asks, as if he doesn't believe it.

"Yeah, your partner is dirty, brother… I'm sorry you're getting mixed up in it. Seriously, I am, but I couldn't just ignore it. Cops like him make us all look bad," Sam explains.

"Sammy, I was handling it!" Steve barks.

"Okay, well we're just gonna have to agree to disagree on that one, but if you have a problem you can come to me… leave them alone," Sam replies, as he gestures to Andy and Chris.

Steve starts shaking his head and he's just about to say something when Gail starts tugging on his arm. "C'mon Steve, let's just go," she pleads. He looks down at his sister and then back at Sam before nodding his head. "Yeah, let's get out of here," he agrees before taking one last look at Sam and the two rookies. When they finally walk out the door, Sam turns back to Andy and Chris.

"Thanks," Chris tells him as he lifts his beer in salute.

Sam waves him off and head back to the bar, with Andy following close behind. When he takes a seat at the barstool, he turns to see Andy standing beside him.

"Sam…" she begins, as she looks at her feet, unsure how to finish the sentence.

"McNally, it's okay… this was _my_ choice… what's happening… it's not your fault," he tells her, knowing that she's about to apologize to him.

"Thank you," she tells him. "For protecting us… for always being there," she adds.

"Anytime," he replies with a smile. He watches her take a sip of her drink and then takes one of his own. That's when he sees Traci walking over and he knows it's time for them to part ways until later tonight. "Just let me know when you wanna get out of here," he tells her before Traci comes within earshot.

Andy nods and then clinks her glass against his before turning and meeting Traci at the end of the bar.

============Rewritten===========

It's a couple hours later when she sees him heading towards the bathroom and decides to follow. It's most definitely not the best idea, what with all of their co-workers so close by, but the liquor swirling around in her belly is making it hard to care.

With everything that's happened today and with the fact that they're working the afternoon shift tomorrow, they've both been having a bit of fun. She's seen him shoot back more than a couple shots over the course of the night, and yeah, she drank her fair share, too.

"Hey," she grins, when he walks out of the bathroom.

He smiles when he sees her and gets right in her personal space. Yep, this was definitely not a good idea. At any moment, someone could walk around the corner and see them, but his fingers are grazing her hips and his eyes are impossibly dark and there's just no way she could pull away if she tried.

He leans in, like he's going to kiss her and she lifts her chin in order to meet his lips, but instead he just hovers over her. "Let's get out of here," he whispers.

"Okay," she whispers back.

He smiles and leads her out the back door before anyone can stop them.

"We should probably grab a cab," he tells her, knowing that they've both had quite a few drinks tonight.

"Give me your keys," she says with a grin.

"Andy, you've had way too much to drink," he reminds her. And it makes her smile because it means that he was watching her, too.

"Sam, just give me your keys," she insists. "I promise, I'm not going to drive," she assures him.

He looks at her suspiciously before eventually taking his keys out of his pocket and dropping them into her hand.

"Thank you," she replies before unlocking his truck and opening the back door. She quickly scans the parking lot and once she's sure that it's empty, she hops inside and then turns to look at him. "You coming?" She asks with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

He lets out a laugh and then jumps in beside her. When he pulls the door closed, she's already got her jeans halfway off.

"Take off your pants," she demands as hers fall on the floor.

He chuckles a bit, but does what she says as he watches her pull her top over her head. "You're lucky I have tinted windows," he muses as he lifts his shirt over his head. Normally, he'd just leave it on in this sort of situation- since this will likely be more quick than thorough, but she's told him a few times that she likes him much better when he's shirtless, so yeah, he's taking it off.

"No, I think _you're_ lucky you have tinted windows," she retorts with a smirk as she unhooks her bra.

"Mhm. Very lucky," he nods as he gets a good look at her breasts while pushing his boxers down to his shins. Then, he sits and waits for her to remove her underwear before pulling her onto his lap.

"Hi," she says with a smile as she straddles him.

"Hi," he replies as his hands roam her body. He cups her breasts, grazes her sides, runs his hands up and down her thighs, grabs her ass and then travels up her back. He wraps his hand around the back of her neck and pulls her in for a kiss. He quickly parts her lips with his and caresses her tongue. When the need for air becomes too great, she pulls away and turns her attention to his neck. He tilts his head to give her more access and his hands continue their exploration of her body. She alternates between kissing and sucking and then runs her tongue along his ear, causing a shiver to go down his spine. That's when her hands start to travel down his chest and land on his hardening cock.

He lets out a groan at the contact and she pulls away a little so she can really get a grip on him. Then, he takes advantage of her position and gets his mouth on her breasts, causing her to let out a soft moan.

Minutes later, she's gasping as she lowers herself onto him. " _Sam_ ," she sobs as she takes him completely inside of her. She starts to slowly circle her hips as his hands land on her ass. Soon, she starts to go up and down on him as he helps her build a steady rhythm.

It doesn't take long for her to start getting noisy. And yeah, the sounds coming out of her mouth- he will just never get sick of them. She moaning and gasping and panting. There is a mixture of his name, frequent calls to God and a few swears, and he just soaks it all in as his hands investigate every inch of her smooth skin.

When she decides to lean back a little, that really gets her going and she starts becoming even louder. He briefly considers the fact that someone might hear them, but then her muscles tighten and the thought is replaced by something else- how unbelievably turned on he is right now.

She starts going faster and the grip she has on his shoulders tightens. He can feel how close she is, so he starts to circle his hips a bit and it's enough to get her teetering right on the edge. " _Sam_ ," she moans as she throws her head back and allows the orgasm to course through her.

"Shit. Andy," he groans as she twitches around him and effectively throws him overboard as well.

When it's over, she rests her head on his shoulder and continues to rock her hips as she enjoys the aftershock. His fingers graze her bare back and they sit there until their breathing finally regulates.

Eventually, she pulls away to give him a quick kiss on the lips and then gets off his lap.

"Why don't we just walk to my place?" She asks, picking up on their conversation from earlier, as they both start to get dressed. "It's like an eight minute walk… way faster than a cab," she rationalizes. "Then, you can just come get your truck in the morning," she offers.

He looks over at her, surprised by her comment. She's never invited him to stay at her place and he wonders what it means that she's suggesting it now…. and that he kind of likes the idea.

"Okay," he agrees as he slides his jeans over his hips.

=========Rewritten==========

In all honesty, this one isn't my favorite, but I hoped you liked it! As always, I'd love to hear what you think!

In other news, I'm actually thinking about posting a new story… And once again, it's not finished, but at least I have it all worked out in my head, unlike Roommates and Pretend, so that's a plus. It's got more angst in it than my other stories and it won't have as many chapters as I typically write, but we'll see. I've written the first five chapters so far and there will probably only be a few more after that. So yeah, I might post it this weekend, so stay tuned


	8. The Blind Date

Yet another chapter in the books… Hope you enjoy!

=========Rewritten==========

"So… you wanna come over tonight?" She asks him in between calls, a couple days later.

"Uh… actually… I kind of have plans," he says, uneasily. And there's something in his voice. He sounds like he would prefer to talk about _anything_ else. So yeah, she's definitely curious.

"Oh yeah? What kind of plans?" She asks, turning to look at him.

"Uh…" he begins, running his fingers through his hair. Okay, now she's really interested.

"C'mon, tell me," she pleads with a grin on her face. She's guessing it's something embarrassing. It's got to be.

"I uh… I promised Ollie that I'd hang out with him and Zoe… and a friend of hers," he admits, trying to be nonchalant, but failing miserably.

Okay, that's not what she was expecting.

"That uh… that kind of sounds like a double date," she points out, desperately trying to keep her voice casual.

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that," he says as he glances over at her to gauge her reaction. And she's trying so hard to keep her poker face, but she's honestly feeling kind of sick. Images are flooding through her mind- Sam buying flowers, Sam getting dressed up, Sam making first date small talk, Sam paying for dinner, Sam taking some woman back to his place. She kind of feels like she might just throw up.

It's just that… she didn't think they were seeing other people. I mean, it's not like he's her boyfriend or anything. She's not even sure you could call what they're doing dating, but still. Yeah, they never discussed being exclusive, but she just kind of thought…

Well, she kind of thought that they were.

"Oh," she says. "I didn't really think you were the type to go on double dates," she replies.

"Yeah, I'm not," he agrees. "I didn't really have much of a choice, though," he informs her.

"What?" She asks, shooting him a confused look.

"I uh, I owed Oliver a favor and… he cashed in," he explains.

And yeah, that makes her feel a little better, but not much.

"Um that's… weird," she comments.

"Well, I don't think he had much of a choice, either," Sam clarifies. "Pretty sure Zoe kind of forced his hand on this one."

"Oh," she replies.

And then she spends the rest of her shift trying not to throw up all over the squad car.

=========Rewritten==========

She's trying not to think about it.

She's trying not to imagine what she looks like. Is she prettier than her? Is she skinnier? Does she have bigger boobs? Longer legs? Brighter smile?

She's trying to ignore the voice in her head that's saying, " _Sweetheart, you're not my type_." She's trying not to wonder if this girl _will_ be his type.

She's trying not to wonder if he's having fun. If he's gonna want another date. If he's gonna kiss her goodnight. If he's gonna do more than that.

She's trying, but she's seriously failing.

She can't think of anything but him and that stupid double date.

She's driving herself completely crazy. She just needs a distraction and the two shots of whiskey she's consumed aren't doing the trick.

She's silently cursing the fact that her friends are all busy tonight as she orders another shot.

And then, it all get so much worse. She hears Oliver's laugh the moment the door opens. And then she hears Sam's teasing tone. And she quickly looks over and sees them with two beautiful woman. Oliver's arm is wrapped around a beautiful brunette, presumably his wife. And Sam is walking beside a gorgeous blonde. Of course. She's blonde.

Perfect.

Luckily, they don't notice her watching as they go and sit at a table in the corner. It's almost 9PM, so they must have come by for a drink after dinner. And as she tries to sneak a few looks, she concludes that it seems like he's having a good time.

That's when she decides to drink her third shot.

"You look like you're having fun," a man says as he slides onto the barstool beside her. His tone is sarcastic, but friendly, so she glances over at him and gives him a small smile.

"Having kind of a rough day," she admits as she downs the shot.

"Hm. Well, let me help with that," he grins as he gestures for the bartender to bring four more shots.

She quickly glances between Sam, who is smiling at the beautiful blonde, and then back at the guy sitting beside her. He's actually pretty cute. He's got a nice smile, good teeth and unbelievable blue eyes. And if Sam can go on a date, then she can certainly flirt with a guy at a bar.

So, she flashes him a big smile. "Oh yeah? How you gonna do that?" She asks.

"Well, first let's start with these," he says as he slides two shots over to her. "And then I will make you feel better by telling you the completely and utterly embarrassing story of my day," he tells her. "And then we'll see," he says with a shrug and a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Well, it better be a _really_ embarrassing story," she tells him with a smile.

"Oh it is," he responds.

That's when she drinks one of the shots and slams the glass down on the counter. "Okay, I'm ready," she declares.

"Okay, _so…_ this morning I went into work early because I had a really big project I needed to finish. And when I got there, I realized that I left some notes in the conference room yesterday, so I went in there to go grab them… Oh and I should probably prefix this by saying that we have a big screen in there for when we do presentations… So anyway, I open the door to the conference room and there… sitting at the table with his pants around his ankles and his hand on his dick… is my boss. And of course, he's watching porn on the big screen. And not just your run of the mill porn. No. He's sitting there watching anime porn!" he exclaims.

"That did not happen!" she says, barely able to contain her laughter.

"Ridiculous, right?" He says, in between his own fits of laugher.

"Oh my God," she says, shaking her head as she finally starts to calm down. "Seriously, did that _actually_ happen?" She asks.

"No," he admits a beat later with a sheepish smile.

"What?"

"I was just trying to make you feel better," he shrugs.

She smiles. "Well, it worked. Thanks," she says as she touches his arm.

"Anytime," he replies with a smile.

"Although, it's kind of disturbing that you came up with _that_ story right on the spot," she muses.

"Well, actually… it happened to a friend of mine, but it wasn't his boss… it was a student teacher," he explains.

"What?! Seriously?" Andy asks, in disbelief.

"Yeah, he went to his classroom after school to get some extra help and that's what he walked in on," he tells her.

"Oh my God," she says with a hand over her mouth. "What did he do?" She asks.

"He ran the fuck out of there," he says with a laugh. "And dropped the class," he adds.

"Yeah, I bet," she says with a nod.

That's when he downs his first shot. "I'm Peter by the way," he says, sticking his hand out for her to shake.

"Andy," she says with a smile.

"Well Andy, I'm going to go hit the head, but when I get back, I'd love to tell you about the time I walked in on my grandfather making out with his home health aid," he jokes.

"Can't wait to hear it," she quips.

She drinks her last shot as she watches Peter walk away. She's been sitting there for roughly ten seconds before she feels Sam standing right behind her.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

She spins to look at him and then gives him a shrug. "Having a drink," she replies as if it's the stupidest question anyone's ever asked her.

"I think you've had quite a bit more than one," he tells her after rolling his eyes.

"So?" She asks with another shrug.

" _So_ … are you… are you trying to make me jealous?" He asks as he narrows his eyes at her.

And she's a bit shocked by his question. "No," she answers. And it's the truth. She wasn't trying to make him jealous. She didn't even think he noticed her sitting there. " _Are_ you jealous?" She asks, hesitantly. She's almost certain that he won't admit it, but she still has to ask.

"A little," he concedes.

"Really?" She asks, not quite believing it.

"Yeah," he repeats. "Should I be?" He inquires.

She smiles and shakes her head. "No," she assures him. Peter is nice and cute and he made her laugh, but he's definitely not Sam.

"Good," he smiles.

"Should _I_ be jealous?" She asks, gesturing towards his date sitting across the bar.

"No," he tells her, adamantly.

"Okay," she says with a smile.

"So uh, you wanna meet me at your place in like… a half hour?" He asks.

"Uh… aren't you on a date?" She asks.

"Yeah, well, I've _really_ gotta get up early tomorrow, remember?" he says with a smug smile.

"Oh, right. Yeah, me too. I better get going," she smiles.

He grins. "See you in a bit."

=========Rewritten==========

It's forty minutes later when they are making out on her couch with her straddling his lap and his arms wrapped around her.

"So how was your date?" She asks as she pulls away to catch her breath.

"It was… fine," he replies with a shrug.

"What'd you do?"

"Went to dinner and then stopped at the Penny for a drink," he tells her as he starts to attack her neck with his mouth.

"So… did she get a goodnight kiss?" Andy teases.

He lets out a laugh, which causes goosebumps to travel down her skin. "No, she did not get a goodnight kiss," he replies before returning his attention back to her throat.

Andy hmms and then tilts her neck to give him more access. "She must have been pretty disappointed."

"Hmm… I don't know," he replies and he pulls her shirt up over her head.

"Well, Peter was _very_ disappointed that _he_ didn't get a goodnight kiss," she teases.

He briefly pulls away in order to get a good look at her. "So you _were_ trying to make me jealous," he declares with a quirked eyebrow.

She lets out a laugh as she shakes her head. "I really wasn't, I swear," she promises. "I didn't even think you knew I was there," she tells him.

Sam hmms as if he doesn't quite believe her. "So then… what was all of that about?" He asks.

"I don't know… I mean, you looked like you were having fun on your date, so I figured I was allowed to have fun, too," she admits with a shrug.

He silently stares at her for a minute as if he's mulling something over and it's making her a bit uncomfortable. Just when she's about to crack, he finally speaks up.

"Well, maybe we should just _have_ _fun_ with each other from now on," he proposes.

"Oh yeah?" She asks, as a smile overtakes her face.

"Yeah," he nods. "You okay with that?" He questions.

"Yeah, I'm okay with that," she agrees with a nod.

"Good," he replies with a smile before he leans in for a kiss. "Now… you are wearing way too many clothes," he declares.

"Yeah, so are you," she retorts.

"Well, let's fix that, shall we?" He teases.

" _Please_ ," she quips.

=========Rewritten==========

So… I kind of like this chapter. What about you?

We are finally getting closer to my favorite part of this story

Also, thanks to everyone who's been reviewing my new story Expecting. I will post the next chapter in the next day or so. We had a trial at work this week, so I haven't been getting home until 8PM every night and haven't had much of a chance to update. BUT I promise you'll get the next chapter this weekend!

You should also expect to see a new chapter to Collection of Thoughts this weekend.

And don't forget to review! They really do motivate me to update faster!


	9. More

=========Rewritten==========

Lately, she's just been frustrated with… everything.

She's frustrated with him. She's frustrated with herself. She's frustrated about all of it.

Last week he told her that they should just have fun with each other. And when he said it, she was thrilled, but now she's just wondering what the hell that even means. They still haven't discussed whether they are actually dating or if they simply just agreed not to sleep with anyone else.

Seriously- what are they doing? She really wishes he'd give her some kind of a clue… some sort of sign as to what the hell is going on between them, but no- she gets nothing.

She's just so confused.

A part of her is so sure that there is something real between them. Would he really act this way if there wasn't?

Sometimes she feels like he is totally her boyfriend. He is more attentive than any man she's ever been with- both physically and emotionally. He actually listens to what she has to say, even when what she's saying is pretty much nothing. He's always paying attention; no matter how many times she insists that she's fine, he knows when she isn't. And then he always comforts her when she needs it. He's always there for her, no matter what. And he opens up to her, even though she can see how hard it is for him.

He wouldn't do those things if this was just about sex, right?

And they've been having sleepovers lately. If it was just about sex, they wouldn't spend the night together, right?

But then sometimes, she feels like maybe it _is_ just about sex. I mean, if he _was_ her boyfriend, why don't they ever talk about it? Why isn't she _sure_? And they've never once hung out without having sex so… there's that.

So yeah, she's just frustrated. She just wants answers.

More than anything, she wishes she just had the courage to actually _ask_ him, but yeah, she's not sure if she can really do that.

============Rewritten============

"You okay?" He asks, as they lie in bed that night. His fingers are running through her hair and she's resting on his chest, but she's being extremely quiet and it's… weird.

"Yeah," she says, unconvincingly.

"Andy, what's up?" He asks, lifting her chin so he can get a look at her. She rests her head on her hand and peers up at him. And it's making him a bit nervous because she's still not saying anything.

"Andy…" he begins, trying to encourage her to speak up.

She takes a deep breath and pushes herself up off of him and sits cross-legged on the mattress, wearing nothing but one of his t-shirts. He lets out a breath and sits up as well, preparing himself for whatever it is that she's about to say.

"So I uh… I guess I've been kind of wondering something recently," she begins.

"Okay…"

"Um…" she hesitates, as she looks around the room, clearly averting his eyes.

"Andy, just tell me," He implores, starting to get a bit impatient.

"Is this just a sex thing?" she blurts out. Before he has a chance to respond, she starts to ramble. "I mean, I know you went a long time without it while you were undercover and I'm here, obviously willing, so I totally understand if that's what this is, but… I guess I'd just like to know if that _is_ what this is…"

He lets out a small laugh at her rambling before he grabs her hand and interlocks their fingers. "I don't know, I guess I was kind of hoping it was more than that," he admits as he runs his thumb in circles on the back of her hand.

"Oh yeah?" she asks with a smile.

"Yeah… Andy, whatever this thing is between us, I'm uh… I'm happy and that's kind of rare for me, so I'd just like to keep doing… whatever it is that we're doing, you know?" he replies.

She nods.

"I'm not exactly sure what to call it, but I do know it's more than sex," he assures her.

"Okay," she smiles. It's not _exactly_ what she was looking for, but it's definitely a start.

"Okay," he responds, mirroring the smile on her face. She leans in to kiss him and he pulls her down on top of him again. "You staying over?" He asks.

"You want me to?" She questions.

"Yes," he responds with a nod.

"Okay," she grins and gives him another kiss.

============Rewritten============

"Do you think I did the right thing?" She asks the next night as she collapses on the couch beside him and takes a sip of her beer.

"Yes, you did the right thing," he assures her. "You couldn't keep going on like this… It's not fair. I'm sure that even Tommy would agree you deserve so much more," he tells her.

She nods her head, but he can tell that she isn't entirely convinced.

"Look, I know exactly how you're feeling, but… Andy, trust me, he's never going to get sober if you keep letting him get away with all of this," he tells her.

"I know," she replies. "I'm just afraid that this will send him over the edge, you know? That this will just make things worse than before," she admits.

"Look, even if it does… that is not your responsibility. He's an adult who is accountable for his own actions. No matter what happens, it's not your fault," he assures her as he runs his fingers through her hair.

She rests her head on his shoulder and he wraps his arm around her and pulls her in close. "Thank you," she tells him.

He places a kiss on the top of her head and gives her arm a gentle squeeze as they continue to sit and watch television in relative silence.

Eventually, they are interrupted by the doorbell.

"You expecting someone?" Sam asks, hoping it's not Nash or Epstein popping over to come see her. He's not sure how they would ever explain him being at her place right now and he's seriously too old for the hiding in the closet routine.

"No," she says with a confused expression. "I'll go see who it is," she adds as she hops off the couch. He waits there and listens to see who it is, just in case he will need to go find a closet.

He recognizes Tommy's voice right away and he's not sure if that's better or worse than one of the rookies dropping by. He briefly wonders if he should hide, but he figures that if Andy is concerned about her father catching him here, she'll make sure he stays outside.

He can't really hear much of what they're saying, so he just waits for her to walk back into the room and tell him what's going on.

It's almost ten minutes later when he hears the front door closing. He stands up and goes to find Andy to make sure she's okay, but is surprised when he sees Tommy standing right behind her.

And Tommy is obviously just as surprised to see him there, but a moment later, he schools his features and pretends it's the most normal thing in the world.

"Hey Tommy," Sam greets him, casually.

"Hey Sam," Tommy replies.

"I'm uh… I'm going to take my Dad to a meeting," Andy explains as her eyes locks with Sam's. He can see the hope in her eyes and he silently prays that Tommy doesn't disappoint her this time.

"You want a ride?" He asks.

"No, you don't have to do that. I'll just call a cab," she offers.

"C'mon, let me give you a ride," he replies.

She considers it for a moment and eventually gives in. "Okay, yeah. Thanks," she says with a smile. "Ready, Dad?" She asks, turning towards her father.

"Ready," he replies.

============Rewritten============

"Thanks for coming with me," she tells him later that night as she lies on top of him in bed.

"You're welcome," he says as his hand travels down her back.

"And thank you for everything else today, too… I wouldn't have been able to make it through without you," she expresses.

"Andy, I really didn't do all that much," he assures her.

"Sam, you did _a lot_ ," she replies. "You're the one who got the wife's confession. You're the one who found the traffic cam footage. You're the one who gave my Dad the benefit of the doubt in the first place. Anyone else would've taken him in the second they found out his gun had been fired, but you didn't… Today was like… my absolute worst nightmare and you were… there. You're always there for me and you're always protecting me and I just… it means a lot," she tells him.

He smiles at her and pushes a lock of hair behind her ear as he tries to formulate a response, but in the end, he has no idea what to say. So, instead he just pulls her in for a kiss.

A minute or two later, they pull away and Andy starts playing with the hair on his chest as they continue to lie there in silence for a bit. But as always, she eventually speaks up. "I'm trying to manage my expectations, you know? I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but I don't know… he's never agreed to go to a meeting before. That's something, don't you think?" She asks.

"Yeah Andy, it's definitely something," he agrees.

"Did your mom ever go?" She asks.

"Yeah… they helped for a while," he tells her. "But she was never fully committed. She never tried to get a sponsor and she never made an effort to get to know the people at the meetings, so when she was struggling, she didn't have anyone she could confide in. There wasn't anyone who really knew what she was going through that could help her get past the tough stuff, you know?"

"Yeah," she nods.

"Just make sure your Dad gets a sponsor… and when everybody goes out for coffee after the meetings or makes plans to do something over the weekend, tell him to go… I know you're a really great support for him and as much as he needs you, he also needs people in his life that he can relate to and vice versa… people who have been through all of this themselves and made it to the other side… people who know exactly how to help him," Sam explains. "And it will also take some of the pressure off you… I learned the hard way that you can't do it all on your own," he divulges.

She nods along, taking in everything he's said. "I will," she tells him.

"Okay," he replies before pulling her in for a kiss.

"I just really hope that he follows through this time," she admits a minute later.

"I know. Me too."

============Rewritten============

Please review!

PS- Did anyone see the eclipse yesterday? It was only a 65% eclipse where I live, but it was still pretty cool.


	10. Rejoice

To Carol-Ann: the only way that I know of to tell how many chapters have been updated is to create an account and follow the story. If you do that, you'll get an e-mail each time a chapter has been updated for that story. Hope this helps! And thank you for all of the kind reviews!

==========Rewritten===========

"So… how does it feel?" He asks as he draws lazy patterns on her bare back.

"Pretty amazing," she replies with a grin.

"I'm proud of you," he tells her as his fingers run through her hair.

She lifts her head to meet his gaze and gives him a smile before leaning in for a kiss. "Thanks," she whispers as her lips hover over his. Then, she leans the rest of the way in and presses her lips against his. He cups the back of her head with his hand to deepen the kiss while his other hand lands on her waist.

"And now that I'm cut loose, we don't have to worry about getting fired if someone catches us," she reminds him once they pull away.

"Good thing because we haven't exactly been careful," he laughs.

She blushes a little as a few select images run through her head- him pushing her up against the wall behind the Penny, his hand down her skirt in the woman's locker room shower, her riding him in the back seat of his truck while half their division is drinking at the Penny, her legs wrapped around his hips as they get a little carried away while in observation room #2.

Yeah, they really weren't always too careful.

"We really need to do a better job of controlling ourselves at work," she muses.

"Yeah, probably," he agrees.

"So… what do we do now?" She asks.

"What do you mean?" He questions.

"I mean… we don't really have to keep hiding this anymore," she clarifies as she gestures between the two of them.

"Um… well, I think we probably should… at least for a while," he says, hesitantly. "I mean, how would it look if people found out about us right after you got cut loose?" He points out.

"Yeah, you're right," she agrees, but he can see the disappointment on her face and it makes him a little sick.

"Andy, it's just that… if this got out… every good report I ever wrote about you would come into question and I don't want people to doubt your abilities. I don't want them to think that you got where you are because we're sleeping together," he explains.

She nods in understanding. "I know. I get it," she tells him before leaning in for a kiss.

"Let's just play it by ear, okay?" He asks, when they pull away.

"Yeah," she agrees before resting her head on his chest again.

She really does get it. It makes perfect sense. It would be stupid to let people in on their little secret right after she got cut loose.

But still. A part of her wonders if there's another reason that he wants to keep hiding. Maybe he's not sure about them. They still haven't put a label on it. And she tries not to let it bother her, but it does.

It really does.

==========Rewritten===========

As she scans the busy scene, she's desperately trying to find him. He just has to be okay. He _has_ to be okay.

"McNally," she hears that familiar voice calling her name and she's honestly never been more relieved in her life. She seriously thought he was dead. She thought he was lying in that body bag and she was never going to see him again and it was all her fault. But he's not. He's okay.

She doesn't even say anything. She just runs to him and wraps her arms around him and squeezes him tighter than she ever has before. She can't even bring herself to care what everyone around them is thinking right now. Her face is covered in stains from her tears and she's jumping into her training officer's arms… yeah, it's not exactly normal. But whatever, he's alive, so she's allowed to be a little weird right now.

"Hey, it's okay," he tells her, seemingly reading her mind.

"I was so scared," she admits with her face still buried in his neck.

"I know, but we're fine. We're both okay," he reminds her as he runs his hand up and down her back. "You did great in there," he tells her, pushing at her shoulders so he can look at her face.

"I almost got you killed!" she exclaims.

"Andy, there's no way you could've known… and _you_ got me my gun. If I didn't have it… things would not have ended like this," he tells her.

She nods silently, trying to convince herself of his words.

"C'mon, let's go give our statements so we can get out of here, okay?" He asks her.

"Yeah," she agrees.

==========Rewritten===========

"I'm really glad you're okay," she tells him as she wraps her arms around him again. They stay like that, just standing in the middle of his kitchen holding each other, for a few minutes before she continues. "I was really scared that something was gonna happen to you," she tells him as she buries her face in his neck.

"I was really scared that something was gonna happen to _you_ ," he confesses. She looks up at him and the fact that he sees some surprise in her eyes bothers him. "I didn't like leaving you with that creep," he continues. He wants to say more. He knows he should say more, but he's just not good at this- at expressing himself. The thought of telling her how he feels about her, it just terrifies him. So, he changes the subject. "How did you find out that Landry would be there?" He asks.

"The creep told me," she shrugs. "I got him talking… made him feel inadequate, made him want to prove himself to me… he wanted me to know how much Angel trusted him and told him stuff, so he told me that Landry would be there. And I knew you'd be made, so I ran out of there," she explained.

It's times like these that he's just in awe of her. Her instincts, the way she gets people talking and gets others to trust her- it's really something else.

"I told you that you'd do great," he grins as he pushes some hair out of her face. "And you did. You saved my life out there, you know," he tells her.

"Well, nothing you haven't done for me before," she says, blushing slightly.

He smiles at her and pulls her in for a kiss.

"And let me tell you, running in those boots- not easy," she says with a smile.

A smirk starts to travel across his face and she immediately knows she's in trouble.

"What?" She asks with a laugh.

"I think you should go put those boots back on," he tells her seductively as a hand starts to travel down her body to grab her ass.

"Oh yeah?" She asks with her bedroom voice.

"Mhm," he nods as his other hand pushes some hair off her shoulder.

"Any other requests?" she wonders.

"Surprise me," he says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Hm… stay here!" she exclaims as she runs into her bedroom as he lets out a laugh and leans back against her kitchen counter.

When she reappears she is wearing the boots from earlier as well as some black lingerie. It's a ridiculously sexy black teddy that's semi-transparent, barely covers her ass and is exposing just the right amount of cleavage. And yeah, she looks amazing.

"You approve?" She asks as she does a little spin before walking the rest of the way towards him.

"Uh yeah," he says with a small laugh as if it's the stupidest question anyone's ever asked him. And actually, it probably is. And he's pretty sure she knows it is by the way his eyes are glued to her as she walks towards him.

"Bought it a couple weeks ago," she tells him.

"And I'm just seeing it _now_?" He asks with wide eyes. He's not sure why she hasn't been putting it on the second they get home every single night.

"Saving it for a special occasion," she tells him as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"And tonight is a special occasion?" He asks as his hands land on her waist and he starts to run them all over her.

"Well, we made it home alive, so I'd say that's worth celebrating," she decides.

"I'm good with that," he says as his eyes rake over her one last time before he goes in for a kiss.

And it doesn't take long before he's got her pinned against the wall and he's sucking on her neck while her fingers run through his hair. A few minutes into it and he's already got her making those amazing breathy gasping noises of hers.

She gets his clothes off in record time, but he decides to leave hers on. She doesn't dress up for him often, so he wants to enjoy every second of it.

His hands travel down her body, leaving goosebumps in their wake as the anticipation builds between them. When his fingers eventually dip in between her legs she immediately lets out a soft gasp. He grins and spends the next couple minutes teasing her clit while Andy bucks her hips at him to get more pressure.

When he pulls his fingers out of her, she lets out a whimper, but then she sees him guiding his cock towards her and she immediately perks up. She starts to lift her leg in order to wrap it around his waist, when he stops her.

She shoots him a confused look and he quickly presses his lips to hers. "Trust me," he urges her, before giving her another quick kiss.

She gives him a smile and a slight nod before pulling him a bit closer. Then he uses his thigh to push her legs apart a bit.

With the boots on, she's almost half an inch taller than him, giving him the perfect angle for exactly what he wants to do.

He meets her eyes for a moment before leaning in for a mind numbing kiss. And then he slowly pushes inside her, while she gasps into his mouth and digs her fingernails into his shoulder.

"Good?" He asks with a smile as he pulls away to look at her.

"Yes," she answers in that breathy voice of hers. "God, yes," she adds. Everything she's feeling right now… her head is starting to spin a bit.

He gives her another smile before his lips travel down her neck. He starts to slowly move in and out of her, causing her to make a good amount of noise.

"Sam," she moans as her head flies back and hits the wall. "Jesus."

That's when he starts to quicken the pace a little and she can't even explain the way he's making her feel right now.

She's just never felt anything quite like this before.

The sensations he's causing are making her mind go completely numb. She can't even form a coherent thought or string three words together. It just feels _so_ good.

She can feel every bit of him- like somehow, he's even bigger this way.

And what he's doing to her, it's seriously unbelievable. She's tighter than she's ever been and he's deeper than he's ever been and it's just…. wow.

Seriously, why have they never done it this way before?

She's suddenly shaken from her thoughts as his hands start traveling down her body to grab her ass while he nips at her earlobe and uses his other hand to cup her breast.

"Oh God," she moans as he ups the tempo once again. She's making all of this noise and she's getting even louder with each and every thrust. And honestly, it's one of his favorite things about having sex with her- how loud she can get. Although his neighbors probably don't love it.

And yeah, he's starting to lose his mind a little here, too.

He diverts his focus to sucking on her neck- definitely hard enough to leave a mark, but he doesn't care. If he's honest, he kind of likes marking her up a little bit.

"Sam," she moans as she yanks him even closer, forcing him deeper inside and making her gasp.

Sam groans at her. The lingerie she's wearing, how tight she is, the noises she's making, his name on her lips- he's starting to feel a bit out of control with how turned on he is right now. It's a sensation he's only ever experienced with her and he doesn't hate it.

"Fuck Sam, this… this feels… _so_ good," she gasps.

Her words cause him to inhale and instinctively dig his fingers into her ass for a second. He just loves hearing shit like that from her- is positive that he could never hear it enough.

When Andy starts to roll her hips, neither one of them are able to suppress the groans. He's hitting her in the perfect spot and he can sense her orgasm building inside of her. And with the way she's clenching around him- he's not far behind.

"Chris, Andy," he groans.

"Oh… Oh God," she pants as his fingers slide down her body and land on her clit. And it's only ten seconds later that she starts to come.

She's twitching and bucking her hips at him the whole way through while a ridiculous amount of noise leaves her lips. And all of it- it's more than enough to take him to the brink, too.

"Holy shit," she breathes once she finally feels confident that she'll be able to gets words out of her mouth.

He grins at her while still trying to catch his breath. He cups her face and kiss her hard. "Good?" He asks when he pulls away.

"Mhm," she nods as she bites down on her lower lip. " _So_ good," she tells him.

"Never done it like that before?" He asks as he pulls out of her and pulls his boxers on.

"No," she says with a shake of her head. And he's almost a little embarrassed by how much he likes hearing that. He gives her a little smile before pressing his lips to hers again. "I kind of like trying new things with you," she tells him with a smirk.

"Oh yeah?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah… and after that, I'd probably let you do just about anything to me," she tells him in her most seductive voice.

Yeah, that gets his attention.

"Oh yeah?" He asks again.

"Pretty much," she says with a shrug.

"Hm… we're probably gonna have to test that theory out," he replies as his hands slide down her body.

"Looking forward to it," she flirts.

==========Rewritten===========

Hope you enjoyed this one.

PLEASE REVIEW!


	11. Breathe

============Rewritten===========

"Is that… Boyd?" Andy asks Traci as they walk through the barn. He's talking with Frank and Sam in Frank's office and she's not sure why, but it makes her a little uneasy.

"Yeah," Traci confirms.

"What's he doing here?" Andy asks.

"Trying to get Swarek to join Guns and Gangs… some kind of task force," Traci explains.

And Andy's stomach drops at her words. She knows that's exactly where Sam wants to be; he told her so on their first day riding together. He was only going to be in uniform until a spot opened up and now, apparently, one has.

She just wasn't really prepared for this. He hadn't mentioned it once since that first shift and so, she had let herself forget that he might be leaving. But now he was. And he'd probably go undercover again and who knows when she would see him or if he would even care to keep doing… whatever it is they've been doing. Of course he wouldn't. It's not like they have ever discussed actually being together. For all intents and purposes, they are just fuck buddies. Obviously, he'll just take the spot in Guns and Gungs and she'll probably never see him again.

It's at that moment that he looks up and catches her staring at him. He gives her a smile and it should make her feel better, but it doesn't.

And then Frank spots them and orders them to go down to the Supernova for a concert. And she's in charge. So, for now, she has to force thoughts of Sam out of her mind and concentrate on her job.

============Rewritten===========

When he sees her get hit, his heart stops. He runs to her as fast as he can, but he can't get there fast enough. It's chaos all around him, but his sole focus is getting to her- making sure she's okay.

His brain can't even entertain the thought of her not being okay. He refuses to let his mind go there. Not yet. No, he just needs to get to her. He needs to be with her. He just needs her to be okay.

He's finally able to let out the breath he's been holding when he sees the bullet lodged in her vest. Then, he lets himself meet her eyes and he sees the look of absolute terror in them. He places his hand on her shoulder to keep her from sitting up.

"Andy, you're okay. It just got your vest. Just breathe, okay? Just breathe," he tells her as he puts his hand on her shoulder to keep her from sitting up. "You're okay," he repeats, probably more for his benefit than hers.

A minute later, he's forced to leave her and it's absolutely torturous, but he has to be in charge now. And she's fine. She's okay. She's not hurt.

"Andy, I've gotta go be in charge. I'll be right back. You're gonna be fine," he tells her. She nods and he gives her hand a squeeze before he gets up and tries to contain the scene.

It's about twenty minutes later when he finally has a moment to think. He's standing outside the communication van waiting for her to finish giving her statement and he can't stop his mind from going there.

How completely terrified he was when he saw her go down. How close he was to losing her. How much he just needs her in his life. How ridiculously happy she makes him.

The thought of experiencing life without her just makes him absolutely sick.

Luckily, the door to the communication truck opens and he is pulled from his thoughts when she walks out.

"Hey, you okay?" He asks, as he immediately places his hand on the small of her back and leads her away.

"Yeah Sam, I'm okay, really," she assures him, but he's already pulling her behind the communication truck. "It was just really scary… and I've already got this bruise forming," she continues, but he doesn't say anything. He just gets her behind the truck and cups her face with one hand while the other pushes the hair out of her face. He just needs to look at her.

"Sam, I'm alright," she tells him again. The way he's looking at her- she doesn't think she's ever seen this look on his face. Sure, he's been concerned about her before, but this is something different and she can't quite put a finger on it.

Before she has a chance to really analyze what's going on in his head, he pulls her in for all-consuming kiss. For a brief moment, her mind registers that they are at work and there's a chance someone could see them right now, but the thought quickly dissipates when he slips his tongue in her mouth and pulls her in even closer.

When the need for air becomes too great, he eventually pulls away. He brushes his nose against hers and then rests his forehead against hers. "I'm really glad you're okay," he tells her.

"Me too," she says softly, still a little dazed from that kiss.

"You scared the shit out of me," he confesses.

"Me too," she admits as her hands run up and down his sides. They stay like that for another minute, just soaking up each other, before he pulls away slightly and looks down at her stomach and starts to lift her shirt.

"Sam, I'm okay," she assures him, already knowing that he won't like what he's about to see.

"Jesus," he cringes when he sees the large mixture of black and blue that is covering her stomach.

"It's not as bad as it looks," she promises him.

"What did the EMT's say?" He asks. "Did they check for broken ribs?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing's broken. Just a crazy bruise… They said I'd be sore for a little while but I just need to ice it and take some ibuprofen," she informs him.

He nods along. "Do you want me to give you a ride home?" He asks.

"What? No! My shift isn't even over," she reminds him.

"Andy… you were just shot, you should be taking it easy," he tells her.

"Sam, I don't want to take it easy! I… I need to help. I need to figure out who did this… That girl was shot right in front of me. Because _I_ decided to let her in. It's my fault she's dead," Andy exclaims with a good amount of exasperation.

"Hey," he says, lifting her chin so she'll meet his eyes. "This is _not_ your fault. She's dead because someone decided to shoot her, not because you were going to let her into a concert," he reasons.

"But if I hadn't-"

"Andy, it's _not_ your fault," he repeats.

She sighs and nods her head. "But I still _need_ to help. Please don't tell me to go home," she implores.

Now it's his turn to let out a sigh. "Fine… but promise me you'll take it easy, okay?"

"Okay," she agrees.

"And I'm coming with you," he declares. There's no way he is letting her out of his sight today.

"Okay," she agrees.

"Alright, let's go," he says, putting his hand on the small of her back and leading her back around the communication truck.

That's when she's reminded of all the other people around and the fact that they could have seen them kissing. It's not that she wants to keep the whole thing a secret. If she's being honest, she's actually kind of sick of keeping secrets. If it was up to her, everyone would know, but she doesn't think Sam is ready for it to be out in the open yet.

She searches the parking lot, looking around for signs that anyone may have seen what they were doing just a few minutes ago, but they all seem completely oblivious. And while part of her is relieved that no one noticed, a part of her is also a bit disappointed.

============Rewritten===========

"Hey listen…" he begins, as they are driving back to the station in his cruiser. "I know you saw me talking to Boyd in Frank's office this morning," he mentions.

"Uh yeah… Look, I really don't want to talk about that right now," she replies. With everything that happened, she had successfully pushed it out of her mind, but now of course he brings it up and it's at the forefront of her brain again. Perfect.

"Yeah, okay, I just… I don't know what you heard, but I thought you should know that I'm not going to Guns & Gangs," he informs her.

She turns to look at him and she's completely shocked. "What? What do you mean you're not going?"

He glances over at her and sees the surprise written all over her face. "I mean… I'm not going," he repeats.

"Why not? I thought Guns and Gungs was what you wanted," she responds.

"Yeah, it was… but things change," he says with a shrug. "I… I like being in uniform, sleeping in my own bed, spending time with my friends instead of drug traffickers and arms dealers… The thought of having to pretend to be someone else for the next six months or longer… it's just not appealing to me anymore," he explains.

"Um… wow," she says, because she can't think of anything else to say. While she felt a huge sense of relief when he told her that he wasn't going, she couldn't help but notice that she wasn't included on his list of reasons to stay and if she is being honest, it kind of sucks.

============Rewritten===========

Hope you enjoyed this one… Please review!

The next chapter is my favorite


	12. Admissions

============Rewritten===========

It's been two weeks since the shooting at the Supernova and since then, her mind hasn't stopped overanalyzing every single second between her and Sam.

It's been almost two and a half months since she was cut loose and they are still hiding whatever it is that's going on between them. They haven't discussed the issue since the night her tie was cut and it makes her wonder if he just really doesn't want people to know. Maybe he wants to keep them a secret. Maybe he's ashamed; maybe he's not serious about her; maybe she's been misreading every single sign.

He's never once told her how he feels and it's starting to drive her a little bit insane. She scrutinizes every one of his actions and every one of his words, just trying to figure out how he feels about her.

They've been doing this thing for over eight months. That has to mean something, right?

They spend tons of time together. They sleep over each other's houses. He's had dinner with her and her father. He's told her things that he probably hasn't told many people. And he knows her better than most, too. And not just by default, either. He actually makes an effort to know her- he pays attentions and he asks questions and he remembers. It has to mean something.

And like he said, it's definitely more than just sex.

Yeah, they do have _a lot_ of sex, but it's not _all_ they do. Lately, they've actually been hanging out without having sex… I mean, it's not often, but it's happened.

There is something between them. There has to be.

She just wishes she knew for sure.

============Rewritten===========

"So uh what does your guy do for a living?" He hears Andy ask the bartender over the wire.

"Oh he does all kinds of things. Most of them illegal," Tori responds.

"That must be hard," Andy replies.

"Yeah, but there's nothing I can do. Russel's a classic Scorpio. Extreme, intense and totally frustrating," Tori conveys.

"Yeah and he's probably really sexy, right? And smart and funny and you can't keep your hands off of him," Andy responds.

"Sounds like you know him," Tori quips.

"Mhm. I know the type," she answers.

"It's hopeless. I keep trying to end it and he just ignores me for weeks. I don't hear from him, he doesn't call and then he just shows up-"

"And you can't say no. I get it. I get it. It's kind of exciting and it gets your heart going," Andy tells her.

"So you've dated a guy like that?" Tori wonders.

"Yeah, I think we all have," Andy replies.

"Is that what your guy is like?" Tori questions.

"Um… kind of. I mean he's definitely sexy and smart and funny and I can never seem to keep my hands off of him," Andy laughs. Sam takes a sip of his water, trying to tame down the grin that's threatening to expose itself. "And he _can_ be intense and totally frustrating," she adds. And with that, the grin goes away all on its own.

"Wow, she's better at this than I thought," Jerry muses from inside the van. Sam nods his head in agreement and then turns his focus back to the conversation between Andy and Tori.

"You know, Russel's never even said he loves me," Tori confesses.

"I'm sure he does," Andy assures her.

"Why can't guys like that just come out and say the way they feel?" Tori wonders.

"I wish I knew," Andy remarks.

"So your guy's like that?" Tori inquires.

"Yeah, you could say that," Andy replies. And as much as he knows it's true, Sam really doesn't like hearing it. He hates to think that he's not giving Andy something she needs- that he's disappointing her in some way.

"Do you think he loves you?" Tori asks, pulling Sam from his thoughts.

"Um… I don't know," Andy shrugs.

"Well, do you think he's serious about you?" Tori amends.

"Yeah, I think so," Andy replies.

And now he's feeling even worse. She _thinks_ so? She seriously doesn't _know_? God, he is such an idiot. He has this unbelievable woman in his life and she has no idea how much she means to him.

He just… he didn't even think it was a question. He thought he knew how he felt about her. He thought he had been showing her how he felt. I mean, he spends basically every free second he has with her. And he told her he didn't want to see anyone else.

Yes, he's never actually come out and said the words, but he just thought she _knew_.

But apparently, she doesn't.

"Wow, your ears must be burning!" He hears Tori squeal, pulling his from his thoughts.

"Who is _she_?" A male voice asks, causing Sam's chest to tighten. He knows exactly who that voice belongs to.

"My friend," Tori retorts.

"That's Mackie, he's here," Sam warns Jerry and Traci as he grabs his gun and vest.

He hears the three of them talking as Jerry calls in for backup.

"You know, relax. Stop waving the gun around," he hears Andy say. And then he's out the door in under two seconds.

And when he hears gunshots, he seriously freaks out. It's all a complete blur as he sprints into the club. And when he sees she's okay, he's never been more relieved. And that's when he tells himself that tonight he's going to stop being such an idiot.

============Rewritten===========

It's an hour later when he finds her in the locker room after shift. "Hey," she greets him as he strolls up beside her.

"Hey," he replies. "You did great tonight," he praises.

"Thanks," she says with a big smile.

"Listen, can we talk?" He asks a moment later with more nerves than he'd like.

And suddenly, her smile has completely disappeared. "Something wrong?" She probes.

"No," he promises. "Just… wanna talk to you about something," he tells her.

"Uh. Okay," she replies, obviously a bit hesitant.

"Not here," he tells her. "C'mon," he says as he leads her out of the locker room and into an empty observation room.

"What's going on?" She asks as he shuts the door behind them.

"Uh… listen, I uh… I heard what you said in there and I-"

"Sam, no… I… I was undercover, I was just…" she reasons.

"You were keeping it real," he finishes.

"I…"

"Look, I _do_ care about you and I _am_ serious about us… I just… I can't believe you've ever had to question that… I… I know I'm not great at expressing myself, but I don't ever want you to doubt how I feel about you, okay?" He tellers her.

"Okay…" she responds, still a bit stunned that they're actually having this conversation.

"Okay," he nods. "I mean… Andy, you are _always_ the best part of my day.… You are one of the most important people in my life and… I hate that you didn't know that… You just… you make my life _so_ much better and I… I thought I was _showing_ you how I feel with my actions, but I get that it's something you need to hear, too, and I… I promise I'll work on that," he assures her.

"You seem to be doing a pretty good job right now," she grins as she slips her arms around his neck.

He smiles, wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer. "I know we still haven't put a label on this thing, but I… I think we should," he tells her.

"Oh yeah?" She asks with a smile.

"Yeah, I mean, it's been over eight months… I'd say it's about time," he replies.

"Hmm… so what kind of label were you thinking?" She wonders with a teasing tone and a smirk on her lips.

He playfully rolls his eyes at her, well aware that she's teasing him. She lets out a laugh and starts to run her fingers through his hair.

"You saying you wanna be my boyfriend?" She asks with a grin.

"Yeah, I guess that's what I'm saying," he replies with bright eyes and a smile threatening to escape.

"I seem to remember you saying that you _weren't_ my boyfriend," she reminds him.

"Yeah, also said you weren't my type so I think we both know I was full of shit," he responds.

"Yeah," she agrees before leaning in for a kiss.

"And I seem to remember you saying you don't date cops," he points out, when they pull away.

"Hm… I guess I was a little full of shit, too," she admits.

"Guess so."

"So, we're really doing this?" She asks, just to make sure.

"We've been doing this for the past eight months," he reminds her.

"Yeah, but now it's like… official," she replies.

"I didn't realize it was unofficial before," he tells her with narrow eyes.

"You know what I mean," she says with a roll of her eyes.

He lets out a laugh and then presses his lips against hers for a quick kiss. "Yes, we're really doing this," he confirms.

She gives him one of her mega-watt smiles before leaning in for yet another kiss. When they pull away, she grabs his hand and interlocks their fingers. "C'mon boyfriend, let's go home," she sing songs.

And yeah, he thinks he might just like being her boyfriend.

============Rewritten===========

So yeah, I like this chapter… what about you?

Please let me know!


	13. Moody

It's the weekend, so I'm trying to get some updates posted.

I know it was a bit of a wait in between chapters, but I kept needing to tweak this chapter because I just wasn't loving it. I'm still not 100% happy with it, but I hope you like it. And if you don't, the next chapter is better (in my opinion).

Anyways…. Enjoy!

============Rewritten===========

He's been in this mood all afternoon. He's barely acknowledging her existence and on the few occasions that he does, he's nothing but extremely tetchy and irritable. She has no idea what is going on with him right now or what she did to piss him off so much and he's refusing to provide any clarification whatsoever.

Everything was perfectly normal this morning and then they got this call and ever since, he's been distant and is pissed off at just about everything. Yeah, it was definitely a tough call, but they endure tough calls all the time and he's never once reacted like this. She just doesn't know what his problem is and why he won't tell to her about it.

She tries to talk to him more than once, but it's quite obvious that talking is the last thing he wants to do today, so eventually she decides to just leave him alone for the remainder of their shift.

But then, when she finds him in the locker room at the end of the day and inquires if he wants to go to the Penny, he tells her no and asks if she can get a ride home with Traci.

So yeah, she's just… she's kind of worried.

She's not sure if he's angry at her or if he's upset about something else, but there is definitely something going on with him. And she's just not sure what to do about it.

Normally, when she's pissing him off, he has no trouble telling her exactly what she's done to make him angry. So… maybe it's something else?

She's realizing now that she's never actually had to comfort Sam before. The only instances that come close are those when he's really worried about her and she's had to assure him that she's okay, but yeah, she's never had to console him.

Usually it's him doing the consoling. And that just doesn't sit right with her.

So, before she can talk herself out of it, she leaves the Penny and walks all the way to his house, determined to figure out whatever is bothering him.

"Andy…" he says when he opens the door. And he doesn't exactly seem that thrilled to see her. Not that she thought he'd be thrilled, but she didn't think he would look annoyed by her presence on his doorstep. And for a moment, she's seriously second guessing her decision to show up here. She's wondering if maybe the best approach would've just been to give him the space he was seemingly asking for in the locker room earlier. The thing is, she just really wants him to know that she's here for him if he needs her. And if he wants to be alone than she'll respect that, but he at least needs to know she's here, right. So, eventually, she decides to just go for it.

"Look Sam, if you want me to leave, I will, but I just… I know something is going on with you and if you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. I won't ask, I promise. But I… I just want to be here for you… like you're always there for me," she explains as she nervously plays with her hair.

And the look on his face- she's not sure what it is, but before she can really take the time to think about it, he's pulling her inside, closing the door and pushing her up against it. He's all over her in an instant and it takes her a second to catch up, and by the time she does, he's already got her shirt unbuttoned and thrown off to the side.

The next minute is a blur of him attacking her neck with his lips while quickly removing every last piece of their clothing and running his hands all over her body. She still feels like he's a step ahead of her, but she's doing her best to keep up. She can feel the way he's trying to get lost in her and although she wishes he'd _talk_ to her, she's willing to do whatever she can to make him feel better, even if it's just for now and even if it's just by doing this.

Minutes later, she's bent over the kitchen table with him behind her and pushing inside. He's gripping her hips a little bit tighter, sucking on her neck a little harder and nipping at her ears and shoulder with a little more force, but just like everything else he does, it's still really working for her.

He's going must faster than he normally does and the way he's thrusting inside of her and franticly sucking on her skin- he seems desperate and lost and completely out of control. And it just breaks her heart.

She's never seen him like this. He's always been so strong and collected and just… unflappable. And part of her thinks she should feel honored that he's showing this side of himself to her and that he trusts her enough not to hide how he's truly feeling right now. Although, the other part just hates seeing him like this. She just wishes she could make all of this go away for him, but she just has no idea how.

Everything he's done for her. All of the times he's been there for her.

She just wants to return the favor. And what she's doing now is nowhere close to enough.

But how can she help when she doesn't know what the problem is?

Just then, she's taken out of her haze when he starts murmuring her name against her skin and clutching her waist even tighter.

He slowly starts to stand up, while pulling her body along with him, creating a whole host of new sensations inside her. She arches her back a bit and wraps her arm around the back of his neck to keep her balance. This new angle makes them both moan out loud and just like that, she can feel the orgasm quickly start to build inside of her.

She begins making a lot of noise, which quickly gets him moving even faster. And within minutes, she starts to shudder and shake around Sam who is groaning right in her ear as he matches her orgasm, wave for wave.

Moments later, they're still panting together as their hearts continue to race. Sam places a few kisses on the back of her shoulder before he eases out of her and then turns her around to face him.

He gives her a quick kiss and then, without saying a word, he picks her up and carries her to his bedroom. Once he crosses the threshold, he gently places her on his mattress and crawls on top of her, careful not to crush her with his weight.

"Hey," he says softly as he hovers over her and pushes some hair off her face.

"Hey," she repeats as she lets her hands soothingly roam his back.

He cups her jaw with one hand and leans in for a passionate kiss. His tongue quickly slips inside her mouth while his free hand slides down her body, relishing the feeling of her soft skin. When he eventually pulls away, he simply stares at her for a moment before leaning in for a couple quick pecks on the lips.

"I'm glad you're here," he tells her as his thumb grazes her cheek.

"Yeah?" She asks, still gently massaging his back.

"Yeah," he replies with a nod. "Sorry I was such an ass earlier," he apologizes.

"S'okay," she assures him.

"It was just… a really shitty day," he divulges. "Calls like the one we had today… they're just… tough for me," he admits.

She can see the debate he's having in his head and she doesn't want to push, so she just gives him a reassuring look and allows one hand to slide up his back and into his hair while patiently waiting for him to continue.

He just looks at her for a moment and then rolls off of her. For a moment, she thinks that maybe their discussion is over and he's just going to get up and get dressed, but instead he lies on his back and pulls her in close to his side, so she's resting her head on his chest. He blows out a breath and stares at the ceiling while he alternates between drawing lazy patterns on her smooth skin and running his fingers through her hair. Eventually, she tilts her chin up to look at him, but he's completely focused on the ceiling and doesn't meet her gaze.

"I don't think I've ever really told you about my sister," he begins with some obvious hesitance.

"No, you haven't," she confirms as her fingers graze his stomach and chest. She knows that he has an older sister, that her name is Sarah and that she lives in St. Catherine's, but beyond that, she is a complete mystery.

"She… she was attacked when she was thirteen," he explains, causing Andy to cringe. Now it was all making sense. "And she was never the same afterwards… Before… she was happy and carefree and she was always laughing. Even back then, our family life wasn't so great, but she never let it show. She always made the best out of everything… Growing up, she was my favorite person in the world," he tells her with this bittersweet tone that is laced with drops of nostalgic. "But then everything happened and suddenly, she was an entirely different person. She was quiet and closed off and completely terrified of everything and everyone. She was depressed and anxious and fragile and… just broken," he continues. "Nothing was ever the same after that and so many bad things happened because of it… She would have panic attacks and she would cut herself. She attempted suicide twice and had to be emitted to a hospital a few times. She just completely fell apart and no matter how hard I tried, there was just nothing I could do to help her… that was the worst part- that feeling of complete helplessness… So, that call today… I mean, seeing that girl and her family… knowing what they're about to go through and just feeling completely helpless to stop it… it just brought up a lot of bad memories," he explains.

Andy props herself up on an elbow and then swings her leg over his body so she's on top of him. His hands instinctively land on her waist while she cups his jaw and finally forces him to meet her gaze. She leans in and gives him a kiss, only deepening it when he tightens his grip on her and pulls her even closer.

When she pulls away, she considers what she should say to him. She knows there is nothing she can say that will change what happened to his sister or what happened to that girl today. She knows nothing can take back everything he went through as a child. She desperately wishes there was something she could do to erase all of that pain, but all she can do is be here for him now.

"Sam, I… I can't even imagine what that must have been like and I'm so sorry that it happened… I just… I hate when you're hurting," she tells him as she runs her fingers through his hair in the way that she knows he really likes. "And you know… I'm always here if you need someone to talk to…. or not talk to… whatever you want," she assures him, still gently massaging his scalp.

"Thanks," he says with a little squeeze of her waist before he takes his other hand, wraps it around her head and pushes her towards him so he can kiss her.

"And thank you for telling me… it means a lot that you… that you trust me enough to tell me," she adds a moment later, when they pull away.

"Yeah, well… thanks for being here," he says with this serious look on his face that she can't quite read.

"Always," she replies as a small smile grazes her lips before he pulls her in for another kiss.

============Rewritten===========

I hope this wasn't too similar to the chapter I wrote in Expecting. I actually had this one written first, but then I thought that it would be a great scene to have it that other story. Hopefully, they weren't too alike and you could still enjoy this one.

Please review!

PS- I'm hoping to get a new chapter posted for Lion's Heart since it's been so long and I was finally able to finish an entire chapter, so look out for that.


	14. Exposed

============Rewritten===========

"Did you hear that?" She asks as she taps his back.

He tears his lips away from her neck and lifts his head, silently listening for whatever she's referring to. And then, he does.

"Shit," he says, getting up off of her and feeling under her nightstand where she has taped the key to her gun safe. "Call 9-1-1," he whispers as he goes to her closet and unlocks the safe. He loads her gun while listening to her give dispatch her address. As he moves towards the door, he notices her getting out of bed. "You stay here," he tells her.

" _Sam_ ," she argues.

"Andy, we only have one gun," he reminds her. "Stay here. Please," he implores.

"Be careful," she pleads.

"I will," he promises before slowly creeping down her hallway. When he turns the corner, the suspect from this morning is standing ten feet in front of him.

"Police," Sam shouts. "I have a gun and I _will_ shoot you. Just get on your knees and you don't have to get hurt," he instructs.

"Where's McNally?" He asks. "McNally is supposed to be here. Where's McNally," he repeats as he starts to pace back and forth.

"She's not here, so just get down on your knees," Sam repeats.

But the guy doesn't listen. Instead he starts to babble on about nothing. He's stringing random words together that make no sense at all and Sam's pretty sure that no matter what he says, the guy is incapable of listening. But when he starts mumbling Andy's name over and over, Sam decides he's just gonna have to subdue him.

The guys is pretty feisty and it takes him a minute, but eventually he gets him on his stomach with his hands behind his back.

"Andy!" Sam shouts. And she's in the room within seconds. Yeah, she definitely wasn't waiting in her bedroom like he asked.

And the moment she walks into the room, the suspect starts getting agitated and desperately tries to wiggle out from under Sam while he continues to call her name.

Andy's mouth drops open a bit as she looks at the suspect's face and then back to Sam's, obviously surprised by their current intruder.

"Don't suppose you got any cuffs?" Sam asks as he tries to maintain his control over the guy.

"Uh… no, but I'll find something," she says before she disappears into her bedroom as the suspect continues mumbling her name.

She comes back thirty seconds later with a thin belt in her hand. "This should work," she says as she kneels down beside him and wraps the belt around the man's wrist as Sam holds them together.

"How did he get in?" She wonders aloud, after they've secured the suspect.

"Looks like he picked your lock," he says, gesturing towards her front door, which is still slightly cracked open.

"Shit," she replies as she looks over her shoulder.

"Tomorrow morning, we are going to get you a security system," he informs her, using his TO voice, so she knows it's a done deal.

"Yeah, probably a good idea," she concurs.

He nods his head before he gets distracted by the suspect beginning to struggle again. But, they don't really have much time to worry about the man getting free because moments later, Oliver and Dov are busting through the door. And when they do, they are both utterly shocked to find Sam kneeling on top of their suspect.

And yeah, the moment he sees their stunned expressions and the way their eyes are darting back in forth between him and Andy, he realizes that he's wearing nothing but his boxers and Andy is only wearing a thin camisole and super tiny cotton shorts. And it's 11 o'clock at night. So yeah, there's no talking their way out of this one. But honestly, Sam doesn't even care. He had been planning on talking to Andy about making things between them public, and well, now they are.

No one says anything for what feels like an eternity as Oliver and Dov continue to stare and the suspect continues struggling to get out of the belt's grasp.

"One of you _cops_ gonna arrest this kid?" Sam asks, gesturing to the guy lying underneath him on Andy's floor.

"Oh uh yeah," Dov says as he kneels down and cuffs the suspect, before removing the belt.

"So… Sammy… fancy seeing you here," Oliver grins as Sam stands up to face his friend.

"Not really… I'm here a lot," Sam shrugs. Andy turns to look at him, his words having surprised her. Part of her thought he might try to talk his way out of this… although, she has no idea how he'd even begin to do that given that they're wearing just about nothing and it's almost midnight.

"Hm. Are you?" Oliver says, still teasing.

Sam rolls his eyes. " _Yes_ ," he responds. "McNally and I are… together, okay?" He says with a bit of exasperation. He's not exactly looking forward to all of the teasing he's about to endure.

And he can see that Oliver is a bit surprised by his words. Given Sam's history with no-strings relationships, he probably figured they were just sleeping together.

"You're together… Like _really_ together?" Oliver asks, clearly taken back by Sam's choice of words.

"Yeah, we're _really_ together," Sam confirms with another roll of his eyes.

"Wow," Oliver says. "Like _together_ together?" Oliver clarifies.

"Jesus Christ. _Yes_ ," Sam says with obvious annoyance in his tone.

"Wow," Oliver says once again.

"You said that already," Sam points out.

"Yeah, I'm just… surprised," Oliver admits.

Sam shrugs and quickly glances over at Dov to ensure he's got control of the suspect before returning his focus on Oliver.

"Well, I'm a little hurt you didn't tell me," Oliver says with a fake pout.

"I was going to," Sam promises. And he doesn't miss the surprised look that crosses Andy's face, which honestly, surprises _him_. Did she still think he wanted to keep this a secret?

"Were you? _Really_?" Oliver asks skeptically. "I know you don't think I can keep a secret," he adds.

"It's not a secret." Sam assures him.

"It's… not?" Oliver asks, his voice laced with a bit of disbelief.

"Nope," Sam replies. "Right, McNally?" He asks, finally turning to look at her.

She gives him a grin and shakes her head. "Nope. Not a secret," she replies.

"So I can tell _whoever_ I want?" Oliver asks, obviously trying to bait them.

"Whoever you want, brother," Sam replies with a pat on his back.

Oliver eyes each of them for a moment before a smile crosses his lips. "Well, I'm happy for you brother… Lord knows how you bagged this one, but I wouldn't let her go if I were you," he advises.

Sam glances over at Andy and smiles at her. "Not planning on it," he says, never taking his eyes of her.

She gives him a smile, before they are eventually shaken from the moment by the sound of the suspect screaming Andy's name.

"So what's the story here?" Oliver asks, pointing to the suspect.

"He was involved with a call we had this morning… looks like he's got a little crush on McNally," Sam explains. "He's definitely gonna need a psych eval," Sam adds.

"Yeah," Oliver agrees. "Alright Epstein, let's leave these two lovebirds to it," Oliver teases, causing Sam to roll his eyes.

"Goodnight guys," Dov says with a wave as he pushes the suspect out of Andy's apartment.

"Night," Andy calls out to them before shutting her front door and turning back towards Sam. She takes a few steps towards him and wraps her arms around his neck. "So… everyone's gonna know by tomorrow," she warns him.

"Yep, they are," he says with a nod.

"You sure you're okay with that?" She wonders.

"I'm okay with it," he assures her. "Been meaning to talk to you about it anyway," he adds.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah… it's not like I _enjoyed_ keeping you a secret," he informs her.

"I always thought you preferred it that way… that you wanted to keep things private," she mentions.

"Nope… I want everybody to know you're all mine," he says as he places a few kisses on her neck.

Andy hmms and tilts her neck to give him more access. He kisses his way up her throat before he stops all of a sudden. "Are _you_ okay with it?" He asks.

"Mhm," she nods, leaning her neck back towards him so he'll get his lips on her again.

"Good," he says with a nod. "And maybe now everyone will stop asking me to set you up with them," he tells her with his lips still hovering over her skin. He goes back to kissing her neck but she pushes at his chest to get a good look at his face.

" _What_?" She asks.

"Yeah, I know. Can you believe that? Do I look like a matchmaker to you?" He asks with obvious disgust on his face. He tries to get back to her neck, but she's not done with this conversation.

"You never told me this," she replies.

"Oh because you would've been interested?" He asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"Well… you never know," she teases. "I mean, who was it?" She wonders.

He rolls his eyes at her, but answers anyway. "Uh… there was Johnson… and Graham… and Andrews from 27… that EMT with the tattoo on his hand… that bartender that works the lunch shift at the Penny… I think his name is Patrick," he says.

"Oh, he's pretty cute," Andy says with a big smirk.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah and that EMT… his name is Dominic by the way… Gail calls him Sex- on-Legs," Andy informs him.

"Is that so?" Sam asks.

"Mhm," she nods. "So, who else?" She asks a moment later.

"Oh well, I definitely saved the best for last, McNally… You know Elliot from down in the morgue?" He asks.

"Is he the one who always puts seafood in the microwave?" She asks with a disgusted look on her face.

"That's him," Sam confirms with a smirk. "He was _really_ interested for a while… he's probably still available if you want to give it a go," he adds.

"No thanks," she says with a shake of her head as she wraps her arms around his neck again. "But, still. Who knew I had so many options?" she quips. "Looks like you might have some competition, my friend," she teases.

"Oh yeah?"

"Mm… no," she says with a grin as she stands on her toes to give him a kiss. "Not even a little," she adds in between kisses, causing a grin to linger on Sam's lips.

============Rewritten===========


	15. Declarations

============Rewritten===========

He's at the station going over his notes with Detective Rosati for a case she's working, when he gets the call over his radio.

His stomach drops when he hears that an officer is stuck in the burnt down laundromat. He knows that Andy is there right now and he just has this feeling in his gut that it's her that's in trouble.

He immediately calls Oliver, who confirms his fears. And after that- it's kind of a blur.

He doesn't even remember the ride over there. He recalls Jo jumping in the passenger seat and yelling at him to slow down a few times, but everything else is a complete mystery.

His mind is just spinning the entire way there.

He can't stop himself from thinking about everything that could happen. His brain is automatically going to the worst possible place- horrible scenario after horrible scenario running through his head.

He's just out of his mind worried about her. Which is why he pretty much bites Oliver's head off the second he sees him. God knows it's not actually his fault. Trying to control Andy McNally is basically an impossible job- if anyone knows that, Sam does.

But still, he's just scared.

He just needs to hear her voice. He needs to know that she's okay.

So he pulls out his cell phone, starts walking around the parking lot and hits speed dial three.

"Hey," she says after the second ring.

"Hey, you okay?" He asks, trying his best to sound calm. He doesn't want her to know how absolutely terrified he is. He figures that definitely won't help her nerves.

"Yeah, it's just… uncomfortable in here," she tells him.

"I know," he says. "What can I do?" He asks.

"You're doing it," she tells him, making him smile a bit.

"You're going to be fine. We'll get you out soon," he promises.

"I hope so… this isn't exactly how I was hoping to spend my shift," she tells him.

"Yeah… I gotta tell you, I'm really not loving how often you're finding yourself in these situations, McNally," he informs her.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"Two months ago you took a bullet to the vest… Then you had a gun waved in your face by Russel Mackie…. Three weeks ago someone broke into your apartment and now you're stuck in a burnt-down laundromat… You realize you're gonna give me premature grey hair?" He asks, trying to lighten the mood.

"God, I must be cursed," she tells him.

"You're not cursed," he promises.

"I don't know. I'd say there's quite a bit of evidence to the contrary," she reminds him.

"You're just having a little streak of bad luck lately, it'll pass," he assures her.

"If you say so," she shrugs.

"So what do you wanna do tonight?" He asks as he leans against the squad car, hoping to get her minds and his off of the current situation.

"Seriously? _That's_ what you want to talk about?" She asks.

"Is there something else you want to talk about?" He wonders.

"I don't know… tell me a story," she implores.

"What kind of story?" He questions.

"I don't know… a funny story… Tell me about some crazy calls you've gotten," she suggests.

"Okay… yeah, I can do that," he says before taking a moment to think of a few stories he could tell. "Oh, I've got one," he announces. "Okay so it was my second year on the job and my partner and I got a disturbance call. But when we go to the apartment, nobody answers the door."

"So you break it down," Andy interrupts.

"Of course," Sam replies with a grin.

"Always such a show off," Andy quips with a smile, causing Sam to chuckle,

" _Anyway_ , I break the door down the door and when we walk in, we find this woman standing there in lingerie while her husband is on his knees with a leash around his neck and wearing nothing but some women's underwear… with little bows on it" he says with a laugh.

"Oh my God," Andy giggles.

"Yeah and his wife had been whipping him with his own leash… that's why he was screaming," Sam explains.

"Wow."

"Yeah…. It was awkward to say the least," he adds.

"God, people are so creepy," she muses.

" _Yeah_." He agrees.

"Tell me another," she orders.

"Well, okay… uh it was… I don't know, probably my fourth year on the job and we get a call from this guy claiming there are all of these suspicious people walking around outside his house and he is completely convinced that they are going to hurt him. So we go to his place and he lets us right inside… just opens the door and tells us to come right in. So, we go inside and sitting right on his coffee table is a broken shard of a mirror with a few lines of coke and a razor blade… And the guy is obviously high and _really_ paranoid. And before we even have a chance to say anything, he's looking out the window and telling us that the suspicious people are walking in front of his house again. So, of course we go and look and swear to God, it's two little kids walking to school," he says with a laugh.

"Oh my God. Seriously?" she replies.

"Yeah, I mean the kids were like four feet tall with backpacks twice their size and the guy thought they were a bunch of killers. And he just let us right into his house. Didn't even hide the coke first," he tells her.

"What an idiot," she laughs.

"Yep," he replies with a grin, happy that he's been able to make her smile.

"Sammy!" He hears Oliver call to him from across the parking lot.

"Hold on, Oliver's calling me," Sam tells Andy. "What's up?" He calls back to Oliver as he walks towards him.

"The hose moneys said they're about to go inside," Oliver tells him when they're standing right next to each other.

"Andy, they're about to go in and get you, okay? I'll see you in a few minutes," he tells her.

"Okay, wish me luck," she says with a hint of a nervous laugh.

"You'll be fine, I'll see you in a second," he assures her before they both hang up the phone.

============Rewritten===========

She's not sure exactly how much time has passed since she entered the falling down laundromat, but when she finally gets word that the hose monkeys are getting them out, she's covered in ash and grime and she _really_ has to pee.

And when she sees Sam reaching for her hand on the other side of the doorway, she should be surprised that he's there, but she really isn't. It's completely something he would do- get upset that she put herself in danger, but then go and do the exact same thing. Still, she's really glad that he's there.

"You okay?" He asks as soon as she's made it through the threshold and is standing right in front of him. He's got one hand on her shoulder while the other pushes her bangs out of her face and he's taking a very careful inventory of her entire body, searching for any indication that she could be hurt.

"I'm fine. Just dirty," she tells him as she crinkles her nose in disgust.

He lets out a small laugh and then grabs her hand in his and carefully leads her out of the building. And as soon as they make it out of there, he turns back to her and looks her over once more, making sure he didn't miss anything in the darkness.

"Sam, I'm okay. I promise," she assures him.

"You sure?" He asks.

"Yes," she promises.

He nods his head, seemingly accepting her words as he gets both hands on her face and stares into her eyes. "You really scared me," he declares. And there is something in his voice and his eyes that she can't quite figure out. It seems like he's thinking really hard about something, but she's not sure what. However, she doesn't have much time to think about it, because moments later, he's pulling her towards him and kissing her. And it's not a quick kiss either. It's a deep, passionate, not-appropriate-for-work kiss.

Yeah, _that_ definitely takes her by surprise. Despite the fact that everyone at the division has known about their relationship for about three weeks, they don't typically do the whole PDA thing and definitely not at work, never mind in uniform. But, he's still kissing her and she's not about to push him away, so she wraps her arms around his neck and stands on her toes to get even closer.

Eventually, they're a little out of breath and both start to pull away, but not before Sam gives her two quick kisses.

"I'm really glad you're okay," he tells her as his thumb runs along her jaw.

"Yeah, me too," she says with a breath of relief.

"You wanna ride back with me?" He asks.

"Yeah," she nods. "Just give me a second. I'm gonna go see everybody," she says as she tilts her head towards the group of rookies standing several feet away.

"Okay, I'll meet you in the squad," he replies.

"Okay," she agrees before they part way and she heads over to the rookies.

"That was _some_ kiss," Gail quips with a shit-eating grin on her face.

"Shut up, Gail," Andy says with a roll of her eyes. Although, she can't help the smile that slips out and the blush that spreads across her cheeks.

============Rewritten===========

Lydia's words have been running on repeat in her mind ever since she saw Sam's face in that falling down laundromat. She can't stop thinking about how Lydia never told Ron that she loved him and now it's too late. Now he'll never know. Because she never told him.

And she can't help but think about the parallels between Lydia's relationship with Ron and her relationship with Sam.

She's never actually told Sam how she feels about him. And with their jobs, she knows they should never leave things unsaid.

She _does_ love him. She really does.

No matter what, he always makes her feel like the most important person in his world. And he's always there when she needs him… and even when she doesn't. And he knows her better than anyone because he actually makes an effort to know her. And he always knows exactly what she needs, even when she has no idea herself. And he always makes her feel heard and wanted and beautiful.

And he makes her laugh. And he's attentive and smart and surprisingly sweet. And ridiculously good looking. And sexy. And crazy good in bed.

So yeah, she loves him. But does he know that? How could he? She's never told him.

So, she spends half the night debating whether she _should_ tell him. She _wants_ to tell him. She wants him to know. But she's also afraid that he'll freak out. Yeah, they've been doing this thing for almost a year, but it's only been two months since she _officially_ became his girlfriend. And only three weeks since everyone else found out about them. Maybe it's too soon to tell him?

But what if something happens and she never has the chance? No, she _has_ to tell him. She can't end up like Lydia- constantly wondering if he knew. He needs to know. She needs to tell him. Right now.

"Sam," she says as she props herself up on an elbow so she can get a good look at his face. They've been lying in bed, snuggling and watching television, for the past twenty minutes. Although, she has absolutely no idea what they're watching because she's been so lost in thought.

"Andy," he says with a slightly teasing tone and a smirk.

She takes a deep breath. "I love you," she tells him.

He sucks in a breath and his eyes widen considerably. He's obviously more than shocked by her words. And that's when she starts holding her own breath and wondering if he's going to completely freak out.

"You don't need to say anything back… I just… Look, when I was in the laundromat today… Lydia was telling me how she never told Ron that she loved him and now it's too late and he… he never knew. And I just thought… with our jobs and my recent track record… I didn't ever want to be in a situation where I regretted not telling you… So, I told you… But, like I said, I don't want you to feel like you need to say it back or anything. You don't. Seriously…. I just wanted you to know. That's all," she babbles on nervously.

"Would you just shut up?" He asks with a laugh and an amused smile as he cups her face.

"Sorry," she says with a blush.

"Andy, I love you, too," he tells her.

A giant grin instantly spreads across her face. "Yeah?" She asks with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah, of course," he replies with a nod. Her smile widens and they both lean in for a kiss. "I love you," he repeats as they pull away.

"Love you, too," she tells him with a big smile.

"Yeah, I heard," he says with a grin.

She lets out an amused laugh before she leans in for a kiss. "So… we love each other," she declares, still unable to tame down her smile.

"Guess so," he replies, still sporting a silly grin.

"Wow," she remarks.

He chuckles and flips her so she's lying on top of him before he pulls the woman he loves in for another kiss.

============Rewritten==========

Well, there is the next chapter.

I know I haven't been as good about updating lately, but work has been pretty nuts and when I get home, I just want to be lazy I work at a law firm and for some reason, September is always crazy… But I'll try to be better.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this.

Please review! They are my motivation!


	16. Close Call

============Rewritten===========

His heart is practically beating out of his chest as he pulls up to the storage facility. The thoughts and emotions running through his head are going so quickly, he can barely latch onto one for more than a second. He's honestly beginning to feel dizzy with everything that's swirling around in his mind right now.

And as soon as he parks the squad, he's jumping out and making his way towards the ambulance, trying to find her in the swarm of emergency personnel. He's about ten feet away when he sees her. Her back is turned away from him and she's breathing into an oxygen mask while an E.M.T is checking her vitals.

He hesitates for a moment, wondering if maybe she won't want to see him right now. Maybe she won't want to see him ever again. Maybe she'll never forgive him for what he did, for the danger he put her in.

How could he be so hypocritical?

How many times has he told her to always have her partner's back and then he goes and leaves her in the middle of their shift because of some stupid fight? And God, if anything had happened to her, he never would've forgiven himself. Actually, he's pretty sure he'll never forgive himself either way.

So yeah, he's not sure if she'll want to be anywhere near him, but he just has to make sure she's okay. And if she completely hates him now, she'll just tell him to leave.

So, as the EMT is removing the blood pressure cuff from her arm, he walks over to her and puts his hand on her shoulder to get her attention. And the way she jumps at his touch, just breaks his heart. But then, she turns around and realizes it's him and she relaxes a little; although, the look on her face crushes him even more. She looks broken and terrified and just… completely traumatized by everything that just happened. So yeah, even if by some miracle she doesn't hate him, he certainly does.

But, seconds later, she drops the oxygen mask and lunges into his arms, wrapping herself around him so tight that he almost has difficulty breathing.

Her actions take him completely by surprise, but he tries not to let it show. It's just that he was expecting her to maybe yell or stomp away or at least give him an earful, but instead she's just got her face buried in his chest as she clings to him and quietly cries into his uniform.

He immediately wraps his arms around her and holds her close as he loses count of the kisses he places on her temple, forehead, cheek, everywhere. And they just stand there, holding onto each other, for God knows how long. He strokes her hair and runs a hand up and down her back while whispering in her ear, telling her how sorry he is, how much he loves her, how scared he was, and how he'll never leave her ever again. And the entire time, she just continues to cry against his chest while slightly nodding her head at his words.

And honestly, the longer she cries, the more he seriously just hates himself. The fact that she's going through all of this because of him is basically shattering him into a million pieces. He's never felt so guilty in his entire life and he just desperately wants to go back to this afternoon and do everything differently. He'd do anything to take her pain away right now. Anything.

Eventually, Andy pulls away from him and the look on her face just makes his stomach drop. Her face is stained with hundreds of tears while a few more slide down her cheek. He quickly uses his thumb to wipe them away, while she stands there watching him. And that's when he finally gets a look at the marks on her neck and he immediately feels the anger boil over in him. The thought of finding the son of a bitch who touched her and beating him within an inch of his life is completely overwhelming and he's seriously considering it, but the second his eyes meet hers again, he knows he's not leaving her for even a second.

"Can we go?" She asks him, softly. "Frank said I could give my statement tomorrow… and that you could take me home," she adds.

"Yeah," he nods as he grabs her hand and kisses it. "Let's go," he says before he carefully leads her back to the squad car. They drive back in complete silence, but their fingers remain interlocked the entire time.

============Rewritten===========

After they stop at the station to change, they walk into her apartment about forty-five minutes later.

"You hungry?" He asks her as he runs a hand up and down her back. She still hasn't said more than a few words to him and he just has no idea how to make any of this better.

"No… I think I'm just gonna go lie down," she tells him.

"Oh, okay… do you want me to leave then?" He asks her, even though it's the absolute last thing on earth he wants to do. While she hasn't show any signs of being angry with him, he just doesn't know for sure.

And the panicked look that crosses her face after his suggestion is a surprise. "What? No, I… I don't want you to go," she admits, as if she's almost a little embarrassed by how _much_ she doesn't want him to go. "Can you stay here?" She asks. "You can watch TV in bed," she offers as if she actually needs to entice him to stay with her.

"Andy, of course I'll stay. I just didn't know if you wanted me to," he explains. "I'll do whatever you want," he promises as he gets both hands on her waist.

"I want you to stay," she confirms.

"Okay, I'll stay," he assures her before he follows her to her bedroom. They quickly shed their clothing until they're both just wearing t-shirts and underwear, and then they get into bed. Andy scoots right up next to him and rests her head on his chest while he wraps an arm around her.

A silence falls over the room and the two of them just lie there for a minute or so before Andy tilts her head up to look at him. "You don't want to turn on the TV?" She asks as her hand roams his chest and stomach.

"That's okay, you should try to rest a little bit," he tells her as he runs a soothing hand up and down her back.

"You're just gonna lie here and stare at the ceiling while I sleep?" She asks with a curious look.

"Yeah," he shrugs.

She rolls her eyes at props herself up an elbow to look at him. "Sam, I know you're sorry, okay? You don't have to act like this… like, I don't know… like you're punishing yourself," she tells him.

"Andy…"

"Look, you never should've left and I never should've gone into that storage locker alone. I should've called you as soon as I talked to the facility and found out that one of them belonged to Zoe Martinelli… I just didn't want to call you unless I was right, which is _so_ stupid… we _both_ messed up today. Can we just stop blaming ourselves and promise that in the future, we won't make the same mistakes?" She proposes.

"I don't think I'll be able to stop blaming myself," he admits. "If I hadn't left you never would've been in that situation to begin with… I let my emotions get the best of me and you almost…" he says, unable to even finish the sentence.

"Why _were_ you so angry?" She asks, as if she's suddenly remembering _why_ he left.

"I… I don't know," he replies, briefly pinching the bridge of his nose. "It was stupid… none of that stuff matters anymore," he assures her.

"Sam, c'mon… you were obviously holding onto that for a while… talk to me," she implores.

"Andy, we can talk about this later. You should be taking it easy," he reminds her.

"Sam… you _know_ there is nothing going on between me and Luke, so what was all of that about this morning?" She asks, deciding to take it upon herself to get this conversation going. Honestly, she needs a distraction right now and they _do_ need to discuss this.

He lets out a deep sigh and then meets her gaze. "God, this all seems so ridiculous now, but I just… I _hate_ how he's constantly flirting with you and I don't know, I guess I kind of felt like you were just… letting him," he admits. "And then you were trying _so_ hard to prove him right… and it just… it made me crazy," he acknowledges.

"Sam, it's not like I _enjoy_ the fact that he's always hitting on me… I mean, I've tried to tell him that I'm not interested _many_ times, but it's not like I can exactly be blunt about it. We still have to work together, you know? I don't want to make things awkward," she explains. "I just wish you would've talked to me about this before," she tells him. "I mean, what did you think I wanted him or something?" She asks with a look of disgust on her face.

"No, I just… I don't know," he says as he lets out a sigh. "It's just that… you are seriously the best thing that's ever happened to me and sometimes… sometimes I feel like maybe it's too good to be true," he admits. "And... the possibility of losing you… it just makes me crazy," he adds.

"Sam, you're not losing me," she promises. "And none of this is too good to be true," she assures him. "Look, these past few months… I've honestly never been happier… and I've never even entertained the idea of being with Luke or anyone else because I'm so happy with you… please believe me when I say that," she implores.

A smile plays across his lips as he leans in to kiss her, allowing himself to linger for a few extra seconds before reluctantly pulling away.

"Just… in the future, let's talk these things out. Don't bottle everything up until you explode, okay?" She suggests.

"Okay," he agrees. "I'm sorry," he adds as his thumb lovingly brushes her cheek. "God, if anything had happened to you today… I just… I can't even think about it," he says as he squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, trying to keep the images from popping into his head.

"I know, but I'm okay," she reminds him as she grabs his hand.

"I love you," he tells her as he cups her cheek with one hand. "So much," he adds.

"I love you, too."

============Rewritten===========

Well, hope you enjoyed that one…

Don't forget to review!


	17. Good Talks

============Rewritten===========

"Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?" She asks Sam as she walks into the D's office, where the guys are still playing poker. She honestly wants to roll her eyes at them. There's a lockdown at the station because they may have been exposed to a deadly pathogen and yet, there just hoarding food from the snack machine and playing poker like it's nothing. She'll never understand boys. "I have a thought about the case," she adds, just for everyone else's benefit.

"Sure," he agrees as he stands up. "I fold," he tells the guys as he throws his cards down on the table before he follows Andy down the stairs and around the corner. She quickly looks down the hall and when she sees that no one is around, she pulls him into the observation room and pushes him against the closed door.

"Hi," she says with a grin.

"Hi…" he replies, a bit confused by this turn of events. "So I guess this means you don't have a thought about the case," he says with an amused laugh as her hands slide down his chest and land on his belt.

"Well… we _could_ discuss work if you prefer," she teases as she quickly unbuckles his belt.

"No, I'm good," he assures her as his hands run up and down her sides.

"That's what I thought," she smirks.

"So… sex at work? Really?" He asks, still a little bit skeptical that she's actually suggesting such a thing.

She chuckles and stands on her toes to get closer to him as she circles her arms around his neck. "Well… we kind of might be dying, so…." she explains. "Plus, don't tell me you've never fantasized about this," she dares.

He lets out a laugh and swipes his thumb along her jaw before he leans in and gives her a quick kiss. When he pulls back a moment later, he is inches away from her smiling face.

"So, officer… _what_ are you going to do to me?" She flirts.

"Hm… I might be able to think of a few things," he smirks.

She shoots him a grin before she leans in and gives him a passionate kiss. He immediately gets a hand on the back of her neck and deepens the kiss before he walks her backwards until her thighs hit the table in the corner. He quickly lifts her up and places her on the table before stepping in between her legs and pulling her uniform shirt out of her pants so he can get his hands on her bare skin.

That's when she starts to toe off her shoes while simultaneously unbuttoning and unzipping his pants. Once that's been achieved, she pushes them down to his thighs and grabs him through his boxers, causing Sam to groan against her lips. After she pulls him out of his boxers and continues to gently stroke him, Sam gets to work on removing her pants while sucking on her neck a bit.

Once her pants have hit the floor, his fingers dip under the cotton of her underwear and he immediately finds her clit. His thumb rubs gentle circles, giving her just the bare minimum of pressure. And every time she bucks her hips to try and get what she wants, he refuses to give it to her. He's teasing her and he knows it. And not only that, but he's being incredibly smug about it. Honestly, she wishes she could be mad about his cockiness, but who is she kidding? She can already feel herself coming apart and he has barely touched her yet. God, the effect he has on her… she can't even explain it. Somehow, he just knows exactly what to do to get a reaction out of her.

"Sam," she whines as she grabs two fistfuls of his uniform shirt.

"Hm?" He asks with that smug smile of his.

"Stop teasing me," she demands with a pout.

He gives her an amused laugh before getting both hands on her face and leaning in for a soft kiss.

"Sam," she begins as she pushes back at him a bit so she can get some space. "C'mon, we don't have time for this… we have to be quick," she reminds him.

"Okay, McNally," he replies with that playful tone of his. That's when he begins slowly pulling her underwear down her legs while locking his dark eyes on hers. And yeah, she's seriously getting impatient.

"Sam," she whimpers as she immediately grabs his shirt again and pulls him closer.

He shoots her another smile, gets both hands on her ass and gets her to the edge of the table before slowly pushing his way inside.

She throws her head back and closes her eyes as a groan leaves her lips. He slowly eases in and out of her as he lets himself watch her reaction. "God, I really needed this," she tells him as her eyes remain closed.

"You just had it this morning," he chuckles, never breaking the perfect rhythm he's created.

"Well, that was _hours_ ago," she reminds him as she opens her eyes and gives him a smile. He mirrors her expression as she uses her legs to pull him closer and presses her lips against his.

"Right," he mumbles into her mouth before the intensity of their kiss starts to mount and he begins to accelerate the pace while swallowing a few of Andy's moans. When he removes his lips from hers and switches his focus to her neck, her breath starts to pick up and her fingers dig into his skin.

"Sam…. Fuck," she sobs.

That's when his hands begin to drift down her body, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Moments later, his thumb lands on her clit and she immediately sucks in a breath. It still drives her absolutely wild- the way he just _knows_ her body. The way he knows it better than anyone else ever has. It's like he can always anticipate exactly what she wants and needs moments before she does.

"Oh… oh God," she moans as she starts gripping his shoulders even harder. He adds some pressure to her clit and she immediately gasps. He starts moving against her even faster and it's making her toes curl. "Shit, _Sam_ ," she pants as she rests her forehead on his shoulder and frantically clutches his uniform in both hands as she feels herself teetering on the edge.

He can feel how close she is, so he flicks her clit once and then twice and suddenly, she's shuddering and thrashing against him as she makes all kinds of encouraging noises, while still trying to keep herself as quiet as possible. He continues to thrust inside her the whole way through and it's only another minute before he's groaning in her ear and the waves of an orgasm wash over him.

They remain silent for another minute or two, both attempting to catch their breath. Andy is still resting her head on his shoulder and once her heartrate has slowed a bit, she takes the opportunity to place a few kisses up his neck. "Good talk," Andy murmurs in his ear before taking a piece between her teeth, causing a shiver to roll down his spine.

He lets out a laugh and takes a step back so he can get both hands on her face and give her a passionate kiss. When they eventually break apart, he presses a quick peck on her lips before he works on pulling his pants up, zipping his fly and buckling his belt. Once that's done, he quickly helps her collect her clothes and get dressed.

"Ugh, we totally look like we just had sex," she declares after she looks them both up and down.

"Yeah, we kind of do," he says with a laugh as he tries to push some stray pieces of hair behind her ear.

"This was probably a bad idea," she decides as she attempts to fix her ponytail.

"Mm… nah, I think it was an excellent idea," he disagrees as he gets both hands on her waist.

"Yeah, until everyone in the station knows exactly what we just did," she reminds him. "This is your fault, you know?" She tells him with a smirk.

"Oh yeah? How so?" He asks with raised eyebrows and an amused smile.

" _Because_ … if you weren't so irresistible, I'd be able to do a better job at restraining myself," she flirts as she wraps both arms around his neck.

"Hm… well, I guess I'll try to work on that," he teases.

"Please do," she quips before she presses her lips against his for a quick kiss.

============Rewritten===========

"So I uh heard Swarek talking to Boyd in the locker room this morning," Dov mentions as he and Andy are making coffees in the kitchen, about a week later.

"Oh?" Andy replies.

"Yeah, Boyd is trying to get him to go under," Dov informs her. "I couldn't hear everything they were saying, but I guess the target is a really big fish… seemed like it was maybe someone they've wanted for a _long_ time," Dov explains.

"Oh yeah?" Andy says as she mixes her coffee while desperately trying to sound more relaxed than she feels. Yeah, Sam told her that he likes being in uniform and that undercover work wasn't as appealing to him as it used to be, but she can't help but be a _little_ concerned. Things have been going so well with them and she can't even fathom the idea of not being with him every day.

"Swarek didn't say yes, but I don't think he said no either," Dov tells her, trying to let her down easy. "Just thought you should know," he adds.

"Yeah, thanks," Andy says with as much of a smile as she can muster, which isn't much.

"Well, have a good shift," he offers before walking towards the door.

"You too," she calls after him. She ends up just standing in the kitchen for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. She takes a couple deep breaths and eventually makes her way out to the parking lot where Sam is already waiting for her.

"Thanks," he says with a smile as he takes the cup of coffee she's offering.

"You're welcome," she says before getting in the passenger seat. Sam takes a big sip of his coffee and then starts the squad car and pulls out of the parking lot. They are patrolling for roughly ten minutes before she decides she just _has_ to bring it up. She tells herself that she's probably freaking out over nothing and take another deep breath before she just talks to him. "So… I heard you talked to Boyd this morning," she mentions as casually as she can.

"Oh yeah?" He asks as he glances over at her. "You spying on me, McNally?" He smirks.

She lets a quick smile slip through her lips before she turns to face him. " _No_ ," she assures him. "You know you can't keep a secret at 15… the gossip pretty much runs rampant," she reminds him.

"Right," he says with a laugh. "But it wasn't a secret. I was going to tell you," he promises.

"When?" She asks. "We've been driving for ten minutes," she adds.

"Didn't think it was _so_ important I had to tell you right away," he explains with a furrowed brow. But then he stops at a red light moments later and looks over at her. "You didn't think I was going, did you?" He asks.

"Um, well… you never know," she shrugs.

"Andy, c'mon… I told you before that undercover isn't my life anymore," he reminds her, as the light turns green and he steps on the gas.

"I know, but I also heard that the target is supposedly someone the cops have been trying to get for years… I thought you might be interested," she mentions.

"Yeah, it is a big target, but someone else will do it," he replies as he pulls over into an empty parking lot and turns to face her. "Look, all of the other times I went undercover, I wasn't really leaving much behind, but… now I would be," he tells her as he interlocks their fingers. "I love you," he declares as he gently squeezes her hand. "And I'm really happy with how things are between us, so the last thing I want to do is be away for months on end and negatively impact our relationship," he adds.

"Sam…" she begins before she takes a deep breath and prepares herself for what she's about to say. "As much as I would miss you like crazy, you know that… if you _did_ want to go, I'd support you, right? And it wouldn't change things between us... I'd wait for you… I mean, you know that right?" She asks.

"Andy, I could be gone for ten months or a year or maybe longer," he informs her. "You can't make promises like that. You have no idea what could happen," he continues.

"Sam, I _promise_ I would be here when you got back," she guarantees. And she honestly means it. She can't imagine meeting someone else that makes her feel the way he does. It just wouldn't happen. She's sure of it.

"Even still, I _don't_ want to go," he assures her. "Andy, I'm just… I'm _really_ happy with my life right now… I'm happier than I've ever been. And even if I _knew_ , without a doubt, that you would be here waiting for me when I got back, I still wouldn't want to go. I just… I don't want to be away from you for that long, okay?" He tells her.

"Okay… I just don't want you to have regrets… and I don't want you to look back some day and resent me because I held you back from something you really wanted to do," she explains.

"Not gonna happen," he promises. "I don't need to go undercover to be happy or fulfilled, okay?" he tells her. "But… I _do_ need you."

"Okay," she says with a nod and a grin before she leans in to give him a kiss.

============Rewritten===========

Don't forget to review!


	18. Concern

Well, here's the next chapter. Hope you like it!

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Just promise me you'll be careful," he requests as he puts both hands on her shoulders and gives them a gentle squeeze.

"Sam, _obviously_ I'll be careful," she says with a roll of her eyes. "What are you so worried about? This is probably safer than being on patrol," she tells him.

"Andy, you're not going to have your gun and you won't have any backup… there's _no_ way this is safer than patrol," he declares.

"You're being dramatic," she dismisses with a wave of her head.

"Dramatic? Really?" He asks, starting to get upset. "Andy, you're not gonna have anything but a bus token," he exclaims. "How do you think you're going to get drugs or money with that?"

"I don't know… I haven't really thought about it yet… they just told us about this ten seconds ago!" She defends.

"Yeah well, there's kind of limited options here… unless you figure out a way to get some money, you're going to have to find a dealer and steal the drugs, and forgive me, but the idea of my girlfriend going in without a weapon or back up and stealing from drug dealers is kind of worrisome," he tells her.

"Well then, I guess I'll find a way to make some money," she decides.

"And how are you going to do that?" He questions.

"I don't know… I'll figure it out," she rationalizes. "And if all else fails, there's always prostitution," she teases, attempting to lighten the mood. Although, she quickly discovers that wasn't the best way to do it.

"That isn't funny," he tells her with a frown. He seriously cringes the second she says it. The thought of someone else _touching_ her… it makes him want to throw up.

"Sam, I'm sorry. I was just kidding," she replies as she puts a hand on his chest. "Please stop worrying, I'll be fine," she assures him.

"I just don't like it," he tells her.

She lets out a sigh and she starts to furrow her eyebrows. "Why don't you think I can do this?" She asks as she cross her arms over her chest. "What have I ever done to make you doubt my abilities like this?" She adds.

"Andy, this is _not_ me doubting your abilities," he promises.

"Yeah, well it feels like that's exactly what this is," she counters.

He's about to open his mouth and respond when Boyd walks into the room. "Sorry Sammy, I need to borrow McNally… you'll have her back tomorrow morning," he tells him with a teasing tone.

Sam rolls his eyes. "Just give us a second," he tells Boyd with a finger in the air.

"No, that's okay… I'm ready now," Andy announces as she takes a couple steps towards Boyd.

"Okay, let's go… Bye Sammy," Boyd replies, before Sam has a chance to argue.

Sam throws Andy a questioning look, but she barely acknowledges it before she waltzes out of the room behind Boyd, leaving him standing alone in the kitchen to replay their conversation over and over.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Can you believe that? It's like he thinks I'm a fragile little girl who can't do anything without him. I mean… I always thought he saw me as a good cop, but it turns out, he basically thinks I'm incompetent," Andy tells Traci as they walk down the street together.

"Andy c'mon. You're being a little ridiculous," Traci accuses. "Sam cares about you. It's not completely unreasonable for him to worry. It doesn't mean he thinks you can't do this," Traci assures her. "Jerry wasn't thrilled that I was doing this, either," she relays. "It doesn't mean he thinks I'm a bad cop… it just means that he loves me and doesn't want anything to happen… that's normal."

"I guess…" Andy says with hesitation.

"Do you think Sam is a good cop?" Traci asks.

"Of course," Andy responds.

"And if he was going undercover with no back up and no gun… would you be worried?" She asks.

Andy lets out a sigh, well aware of Traci's point. "Yes," she admits "Okay fine, you're right," she acknowledges. "And now I feel like a complete bitch for getting pissed at him," she adds.

"Well, you'll just have to make it up to him when we get back," Traci says with a smile as they step in front of the Alpine Inn.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"This has been a weird night," Andy remarks as she and Traci walk out of the emergency room. While buying some drugs from a random guy at the Alpine, they encountered a girl who was overdosing on the dealer's bathroom floor. After some convincing, they were finally able to get the girl out of there, call an ambulance and ride with her to the hospital. And yeah, by now, it's two o'clock in the morning and all either of them want to do is go home and sleep.

"Yeah, I know… I can't wait to go home and get in bed," Traci remarks. "I'm hoping I can get at least a couple hours of sleep before we have to be back at the station," Traci adds.

"At least we still have our bus tokens," Andy declares as she pulls hers out of her pocket.

"Yeah, I'm definitely not up for walking right now," Traci agrees as they head towards the bus station down the block. It's only another ten minutes before the bus arrives and then about fifteen minutes before they get to the stop down the street from the station.

"Can you take me to Sam's?" Andy asks as she gets into the passenger seat of Traci's car.

"Sure," Traci agrees. "You gonna apologize?" She asks.

"Yeah," she replies before she leans her head against the windowsill and rests her eyes for the ten minute ride to Sam's.

"See you in a few hours," Traci says with a groan as she stops the car in front of Sam's house.

"Bye Trace," Andy says with a wave, before she gets out of the car, pulls out her phone and hits speed dial three while walking up the steps to Sam's front door.

"Hey, you okay?" He says as he picks up the phone on the second ring.

"Yeah… I'm surprised you're awake," she comments. She was kind of thinking she might have to break in or something.

"Couldn't really sleep," he informs her. And she cringes at his words, suddenly feeling even more guilty for the way she acted earlier. "Wasn't expecting to hear from you until tomorrow," he continues when she doesn't respond.

"Yeah… actually, I'm outside," she tells him.

"Outside? Outside my _house_?" He asks.

"Yeah," she replies. And as soon as the words leave her mouth, she hears footsteps walking towards his front door. Seconds later, he swings the door open and upon seeing each other, they both hang up their phones.

"Hey," she greets him with a small smile.

"Hey," he responds as he allows her inside.

As soon as he closes the door behind her, she turns and wraps both arms around him. He is apparently a little surprised by her actions, but he quickly circles her waist and pulls her close.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," she apologizes. "I guess I was just being sensitive," she admits.

He pulls back a little so he can get a look at her face before he speaks. "Why?" He asks.

"I don't know… I guess I just felt like maybe you don't think I can handle myself… like maybe you don't think I'm a good cop," she admits.

And yeah, he's pretty taken back by her words. "Andy, that is not even close to what I think," he assures her. "I think you're a _great_ cop… and I _know_ you can handle yourself… but that doesn't mean I won't still worry about you," he warns her. "Because even great cops can end up in dangerous situations."

"I know… I get it," she tells him. "Traci pointed out that if you were in that kind of situation, I would be worried about you, too," she explains.

"I always knew I liked her," he says with a smile.

She returns the sentiment and then stands on her toes to give him a quick kiss. "Okay, I need to be at the station in about four hours, so I need to go to bed like this second," she declares.

"Let's go," he says with a laugh before he leads her upstairs.

It's five minutes later when they are both lying in Sam's bed and suddenly, the last thing Andy wants to do is sleep. So, she flips her leg over him and ends up straddling his lap while leaning forward and pressing her lips against his in a passionate kiss.

"Thought you wanted to go to bed," Sam smirks when Andy finally pulls away.

"Changed my mind," she murmurs before going back in for another kiss.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Thoughts?


	19. The Next Steps

Basically, these are just a few random scenes, which would have taken place after the end of season two through the beginning of season three. Unlike the majority of the other chapters, none of this is actually based on anything that happened on the show, it's just some assorted scenes I came up with. The next chapter will once again follow the events of the show.

Hope you enjoy!

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Yeah, we're on our way back now," Andy tells Sam over the phone as Traci weaves through traffic on the highway.

"Okay, you want me to come by your place or can Traci drop you off at mine?" Sam asks.

"Trace, can you drop me off at Sam's?" Andy inquires as she turns towards her best friend.

"Yeah, no problem," Traci agrees with a nod.

"She'll drop me off at your place," Andy relays.

"Okay, then I'll see you in a little bit?" He questions.

"Yep," she replies.

"Okay, love you," he says.

"Love you, too," she tells him before hanging up the phone.

"Whoa," Traci comments as Andy shoves her phone in her purse.

"What?" Andy asks as she looks around outside to see what Traci must be commenting on.

"You _love_ each other?" Traci asks in disbelief.

Andy immediately cringes as she realizes her earlier slip. _Shit_.

"Um… yeah," Andy says with a shrug and an awkward smile.

"Wow… I uh… I guess I'm just surprised… I mean, you're not usually one to move so fast with a guy," Traci remarks. "You've only been dating for a few months," she reminds her.

"Uh… well… so… that's not _exactly_ true," Andy tells her with a sheepish smile. Maybe she should just keep her mouth shut but Traci _is_ her best friend who she trusts as much as anyone and it's been so long since all of this happened, does it even actually matter anymore?

"What?" Traci asks, sneaking a glance at Andy.

"Well… we kind of started dating way before that… we just… we kept it a secret until a few months ago," Andy explains.

"What?" Traci asks again. "Why?"

"Because… I was still his rookie at the time," Andy admits with a nervous laugh.

"What! Seriously?" Traci comments, obviously stunned by this revelation.

"Yeah… we've uh basically been seeing each other since that first day we rode together," Andy confesses.

"Holy shit," Traci remarks.

"I know."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" She exclaims.

"I know, but I… I couldn't… we agreed we wouldn't tell anyone… and I didn't want to put you in an awkward situation where you'd have to lie for us… it just seemed better this way, you know?" She tries to explain. "And it was just casual at first, so it didn't really seem like such a big deal," she reasons.

"I guess…" Traci says with a shrug. "I'm actually kind of impressed you kept it a secret for so long… you're not really the best liar," she teases.

"Shut up," Andy retorts with a laugh. "But yeah, it definitely wasn't easy," she adds.

"I know, I remember when Jerry and I had to sneak around… it sucked, but… it was also kind of hot," Traci says with a smirk.

"There were definitely _some_ fun moments," Andy agrees with a smile.

"So… you and Swarek… it's serious," Traci states as she steals a glance at Andy.

"Yeah, it's serious," She says with a nod as her smile widens.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Ugh… I don't have any more clean clothes," Andy announces as she digs through her duffle bag a few weeks later.

"Why didn't you do your laundry?" He absent-mindedly wonders out loud as he lifts his head from his pillow to look at her.

"Um _because…_ I haven't been home in days," she retorts with a roll of her eyes.

"You know you're always welcome to use my machine," he tells her as he sits up in bed.

"Well, that information would have been nice to know yesterday," she replies with that sarcastic, teasing tone of hers.

"Sorry… didn't think it really needed to be said… I mean, of course you can. You thought you couldn't?" He asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"I don't know," she tells him with a shrug.

"Andy, you can use anything you want here. I thought you knew that," he replies.

"Yeah, okay… thanks," she responds, before her focus shifts back to rummaging through her duffle bag.

He stares at her for a moment before he gets up, walks beside her, and turns her body so she's facing him. "You know, I think this is kind of crazy," he announces.

"What is?" She asks, shooting him a confused expression.

"You living out of this duffle bag," he clarifies as he gestures to the bag in question.

"Well, _you're_ the one who always wants me to stay over," she reminds him as she digs her finger into his chest.

And yeah, he immediately furrows his brows at that. "I didn't realize I was _forcing_ you to stay here," he counters.

That's when Andy lets out a sigh and circles her arms around his neck. "Sam, that's not what I meant… of _course_ I want to stay with you… it's just that… I kind of need my stuff when I do," she explains. "Hence the duffle bag," she adds with a smile.

"You know, you can keep some stuff here if you want," he offers, casually.

And yeah, she's a little taken back by the suggestion. "Um wow… okay… You sure?" She questions.

"Of course I'm sure. I'll clean out a drawer for you and you can put some stuff in the closet, too," he tells her.

"Oh okay. Um… thanks," she replies, still a little bit thrown off by all of this.

Sensing her apprehension, he continues to stand in front of her and attempts to read her eyes, but he really has no idea where this unease is coming from. It's not as if he asked her to move in with him or something.

"You okay? You seem kind of freaked out," he observes.

"Oh… no, it's just… I mean, this is kind of a big step… are you sure it's what you want?" She questions.

"Andy, it's just a drawer," he reminds her. "This duffle bag thing obviously isn't working out and I'm kind of used to having you in my bed, so I really don't want you to stop staying over," he tells her with a smile as he pushes some hair behind her ear. "If you want, we could stay at your place more, but you always say that my house is closer to the station and it has much more food in the fridge so..."

"Yeah, I know," she says with a shake of her head. "I'm sorry, you just kind of caught me off guard… it's uh… it's a really sweet offer," she tells him before leaning in for a quick kiss. "I mean, I've never had my very own drawer before," she grins.

"Hm, well maybe I'll even let you pick out which drawer you want," he smirks.

"Okay, now you're just spoiling me," she quips with a flirty grin, causing him to smile and pull her closer before leaning in for a kiss. "Oh but we're going to have to stop at my place to get some stuff to put in my brand new drawer," she reminds him, once they part ways.

"And we should probably get you into some clean clothes while we're there," he adds with a smile.

"That too," she nods.

"Well then, let's go," he suggests before pulling her towards the front door.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"So… I can't come over tonight," Andy informs Sam as they're patrolling the streets several days later.

"Oh yeah? You got plans?" He asks.

"I do," she grins.

When she fails to elaborate, he sneaks a look at her and notices the silly grin on her face. "Are you gonna tell me what they are?" He asks.

"Well… it's possible that I have a date with another man," she teases.

"A date, huh?" He asks, well aware that she's teasing him.

"Yep… and he's _very_ cute," she continues.

"That so?" he says as he turns on the blinker and makes a left turn.

"It's Leo," she finally explains, when he doesn't say anything else.

"I think he's a bit young for you, McNally," Sam quips.

"Funny," she replies with a playful roll of her eyes. "No, Jerry surprised Traci with some fancy date tonight and her mom can't watch him, so she practically begged me," she adds. "Even agreed to do my paperwork for the next two shifts," she declares with a proud look on her face.

"Well, you want some help?" He asks casually.

"What?" She asks.

"Do you want some help?" He repeats, a bit slower. "Watching Leo," he clarifies.

And yeah, she's a bit stunned by the offer. "You… you want to come with me? …To babysit Leo?" She questions.

"Yeah," he shrugs. "I mean… if you want," he tells her.

"Okay," she agrees as a smile creeps across her face. "Yeah, I'd love that," she adds.

"Okay," he replies.

"Is this just because you're worried you might have some competition?" She asks with a teasing grin.

"Funny," he says with a roll of his eyes. "You know… now that I think about it… maybe I should just go to the Penny with Oliver tonight," he suggests.

"I was just kidding!" she exclaims with a laugh. "Plus… after Leo goes to bed… I think there's a pretty good chance you'll get to make out with the babysitter until the parents get home," she flirts.

"Hm… well, then I guess I'm in," he tells her as he glances over at her with a smile.

"I thought that might change your mind," she replies with a chuckle.

"You know me well, McNally," he tells her with a grin.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"I forgot how exhausting kids can be," Andy declares before she collapses on the couch. It's a little before nine o'clock and they just put Leo to bed after two particularly thrilling games of freeze tag and about an hour of monkey in the middle before finally ending the night by attempting to build a squad car out of Legos.

"Yeah, I wasn't sure he was ever going to slow down," Sam concurs as he sits down beside her. And as soon as his ass hits the couch cushion, he is wrapping his arm around her and she's snuggling into his side.

"You were really good with him," she muses as she tilts her head to meet his eyes.

He gives her a smile and pushes some hair out of her face. With all of the running around, her ponytail is barely holding it together anymore. "So were you," he tells her with a smile.

"Thanks for coming with me," she tells him.

"You're welcome," he replies as his fingers trail down her arm.

"You know… there is something incredibly sexy about a guy who is good with kids," she informs him. "I mean, if anyone else finds out about this, I'll have to start beating women off you with a stick," she declares with a smirk.

"Oh yeah?" He asks with a silly grin on his face. Before she has a chance to answer, he reaches for her and swiftly maneuvers her so she's straddling his lap.

"Mhm… I mean you're already insanely sexy and then you add good with kids on top of that? God, every woman in Toronto will be _all_ over you," she flirts.

"Well, unfortunately for them, I'm pretty in love with my girlfriend," he tells her with an affectionate smile as he runs his hands along her waist.

That's when she gets a big grin on her face, wraps both arms around his neck and leans in for an all-consuming kiss. And suddenly, his hands are just itching to touch her everywhere, but he uses every last bit of self-control he has not to start undressing her right then and there.

"When are they supposed to be back?" He wonders as he pulls away from her for a moment.

"Not soon enough," she comments with a sigh. "How wrong do you think it would be if we had sex on Traci's couch right now?" She questions.

"Mm… probably pretty wrong," he decides.

"Yeah, that's what I thought… damn," she replies.

He lets out a small laugh and allows his fingers to graze just under the hem of her shirt. "But I _was_ promised some making out with the babysitter," he reminds her with a teasing smile.

"That's right, you were," she muses as she shoots him a grin, gets both hands on his face and pulls him in for another kiss.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Don't forget to review!


	20. Dreaming

Sooo… I was skimming through some prior chapters last weeks and I kind of realized that I'm not always clear enough about the episodes that I'm referencing in this story… I was reading chapter 14, which is the one where the crazy guy breaks into Andy's and Oliver and Dov catch Sam there. When I was reading it, I realized that it may have been difficult to figure out the situation I was referencing from the show. I doubt anybody really cares now, but just in case you do… that scene was supposed to be a reference to the episode where Luke gets stabbed by the crazy guy that Sam and Andy encountered on their shift. He was searching for McNally and went to the house she shared with Luke and found him instead. So yeah, in my version, he broke into Andy's place to hurt her, but luckily Sam was there.

I'll try to be more clear in my writing from now on. I just don't always pick up on it, at the time, because obviously _I_ know the episode I'm referencing, so it's hard to see it from the reader's point of view. But yeah, I'll try to keep an eye on that.

Anyway, this picks up in the beginning part of season three, after Dov kills that Tyler kid in the convenience store.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You know… you're really sexy when you cook for me," she tells him as she sits on the counter and watches him sauté some vegetables for dinner.

"Please. I'm _always_ sexy," he says with a cocky smile.

"And modest," she quips.

"Yes. That too," he agrees with a chuckle before he leans in to kiss her. She immediately gets her hand around the back of his neck and holds him there for a couple seconds longer, before she eventually lets him go. When he pulls away, he watches her with this amused expression on his face.

"What?" She asks with a giggle.

"Just thinking," he shrugs as a smirk plays on his lips.

"About what?" She inquires as she tilts her head slightly.

"Well… you know the way you were playing bad cop with Mr. Santos today?" Sam begins as he licks his lips.

"Yeah?" She asks, encouraging him to continue.

"It was _really_ hot."

"Oh you liked that?" She says with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I think you should do it more often," he tells her as he places both hands on her thighs and gives her a gentle squeeze.

"Hm… maybe I'll start right now," she flirts with a big grin on her face.

"Ooh, don't tease me," he quips.

She lets out a laugh as she continues to beam at him until the oven timer starts to beep, pulling them both out of their reverie.

"Hold that thought," he tells her as he holds up a finger before going to check on the food in the oven.

She watches him futz around and begin flipping the sweet potato fries in the oven while she shifts around on the counter. "Do you think Dov will be okay?" She asks, changing the subject.

She can't help but worry about him after everything that happened today. She can still remember exactly how she felt after she killed someone, but she can't imagine how she would've felt if it had been a kid instead of a pedophile.

"You know how it is… it will take some time, but eventually, he'll be okay," Sam assures her as he walks back over to her.

"I know… I just feel like maybe I should've tried harder to talk to him," she comments.

"He probably just needs some time to process… I'm sure he'll come to you when he wants to talk," he tells her as he gently squeezes her knee.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm sure you're right," she agrees. "I'm just worried," she admits.

"I know," he replies. Then, a beat later, "You know… you did really great today," he tells her with a smile. "If you guys hadn't figured out what happened with the gun… who knows what would've happened… I'm really proud of you," he praises.

"Thanks," she repeats as she snakes her arms around his neck and pulls him in closer.

"In case I haven't told you recently, you're a really great cop," he commends as he runs his fingers through her hair.

"In case I haven't told you recently, you're a really great training officer," she compliments as she shoots him a big smile.

"I know," he quips with a grin.

"There's that modesty again," she teases.

He lets out a laugh and pulls her in for a kiss.

"Now… when can we eat?" She asks, resulting in another round of laughs.

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's just a normal night.

She's lying in bed with Sam and he's got this silly grin on his face as he teases her about this and that. First, it's the fluffy purple socks with the penguins in party hats that she's wearing over her icy cold feet, then it's her recent and very strange obsession with ghost hunting shows and lastly, it's the way she repeatedly re-organizes her cabinets and because of it, can never find anything she's looking for. They've essentially been laughing non-stop for the past twenty minutes and honestly, her stomach is starting to hurt as a result, but she really wouldn't have it any other way.

She just loves nights like this. With him.

Eventually, as the laughter starts to die down and they both grow tired, he wraps an arm around her and pulls her a bit closer so he can press his lips to her forehead. They continue to talk for a little while longer as he runs his fingers through her hair or allows his hands to drift up and down her body.

But ultimately, she must fall asleep because suddenly, she's having a nightmare.

She's making her way through a dark abandoned building and her flashlight keeps flickering as she continues to clear each room. She's trying to reach Sam on her radio, but he's not answering and it's making her nervous. That's when her breath starts to pick up and a sweat builds on her forehead. It's warm and humid outside and even more so inside. The floor is creaking, every so often, as she walks and she's so on edge that it makes her jump each and every time. She calls to Sam again, but he's still not responding and she's getting really concerned. Every possible scenario runs through her mind and she can't stomach any of them. She can feel her hands shaking and there's a big lump in her throat that she can't quite swallow. She just desperately wants to find him, but she's not even sure where to look, so she continues to clear the building, hoping that they will cross paths.

Then, she turns a corner and slowly walks down a long hallway as her flashlight continues to go on and off as she walks. And it's when she turns the next corner that she is hit with something hard and immediately falls to the ground. Before she can get her bearings, she feels someone grabbing her gun right from her hand. And when she is finally able to focus, all she can see is a pair of dark, beady eyes staring down at her.

"I've been waiting for you," he says with an eerie grin as he kneels over her and his breath hits her face.

She doesn't say a word as she tries to subtly look around and find a means of escape. He's not pointing the gun at her yet, so she considers whether she can just try and fight him off, but he seems to pick up on her plan because he immediately lets out an unnerving chuckle.

"I wouldn't do anything stupid, _Officer_ ," he informs her.

"What do you want?" She spits back.

"You have been hunting me," he declares, in a freakishly calm tone.

"You've killed six women… did you think we'd just let that go?" She questions.

"Hm… you think it's only six?" He asks, his voice relaxed yet smug. "Well Officer, I'm about to add another to that growing list," he cackles.

"If you think you're being hunted now, it's going to get a lot worse if you kill a cop," she reminds him, trying her best to sound composed and confident, despite the fact that she's desperately trying to hold back tears. She just keeps reminding herself that all she needs to do is buy enough time for Sam to find her.

"Oh don't you worry about me, I'll be on a flight out of the country before they find _either_ of your bodies," he informs her.

And that's when her stomach drops to the floor and a chill runs down her spine.

"Either?" She asks so quietly, she's not even sure if the word actually leaves her mouth. She's already lost all hope of holding back the tears as they start to quickly stream down her face. Her mind is screaming and she's pretty sure her entire body is shaking as this man just smirks at her, apparently enjoying the reaction he's caused.

"Oh yeah, don't worry. It was quick… definitely not painless, but quick… just a stab in the neck before he even knew what hit him, then I added a couple more for good measure," he grins. "I'm sure you know by now that I don't really enjoy the men as much as I do women… with the women, I _always_ like to take my time," he grins. "So you and I are about to have a lot of fun together," he adds with that devilish smile that instantly makes her feel ill.

Her head is spinning and she honestly can't breathe. It can't be true. It can't.

By now, tears are gushing down her face and she's gasping for air and he's just sitting there laughing at her.

And then suddenly, his beady eyes have disappeared and she's blinking rapidly, trying to will herself awake.

She's still disoriented, but eventually she realizes that she's in bed and Sam is alive and lying beside her and she's not actually in danger. She's still out of breath and when she touches her face, she realizes that she really has been crying.

She's trying to calm herself down before she accidentally wakes up Sam, but it's only a moment later when she feels his grip tighten around her. Except, when she glances up at him, his eyes are still closed and she's pretty sure he's still asleep.

A smile involuntarily escapes her lips as she looks up at the man she loves and relishes the tight hold he has on her. His arms wrapped around her like this… it instantly calms her down.

She's pretty much stopped crying at this point, but when she starts to sniffle a bit, Sam begins to stir. When he opens his eyes and sees her tear-stained face, he furrows his brows and pushes the hair out of her face.

"What's wrong?" He asks as his voice is still laced with sleep.

"Just had a nightmare," she tells him with a shrug.

And that's when his grip somehow gets even tighter and he places a soft kiss on her forehead. "What happened?" He questions.

She lets out a sigh and briefly considers telling him to just go back to sleep, but she knows better. There's no way he'd ever let that slide.

"I was… I was clearing this creepy building and I couldn't find you… I kept radioing to you, but you weren't answering and then… this guy was about to torture and kill me and he said that you were already dead… and I just… I couldn't find you," she tells him while her eyes start to water a bit as the images from her nightmare flash through her mind.

"Shh…" he says as his eyes flutter closed while he places a few more kisses on her forehead and along her temple. "I'm right here," he tells her. "And I'm not going anywhere… I'll always be right here," he promises. And she's pretty sure that he's still half asleep, but somehow, that just makes all of this even more remarkable. The fact that he can still console her without even being fully conscious… it means something.

She lets out a shaky breath, buries her face in Sam's chest and just inhales his comforting scent. She can't even explain what she's feeling. It's such a random moment, but she doesn't know how she could ever feel more loved than she does right now.

Sometimes, it honestly makes her dizzy. How much she loves him and how much he loves her. She's just never felt anything remotely close to this before. She's never _had_ anything close to this before. Someone she can completely rely on, someone she trusts without any reservation, someone who knows all of her faults and every single piece of baggage she has and still loves her, someone who is her partner in every sense of the word, someone she can openly talk to about anything, someone who actually wants to listen.

She's never had anyone look at her the way he does- like she doesn't have one single flaw. She's never had anyone who made her feel this safe and protected- like nothing bad could ever happen to her as long as he's got his arms wrapped around her. She's never had anyone she could be completely herself with- like when she's being her craziest self and he just sits back and looks amused. She's never had anyone like him… not even close.

"Sam," she says, suddenly, as she lifts her head to look at him.

"Hm?" He responds, without opening his eyes.

"I love you," she declares, unable to hide the emotion from her voice. "I love you _so_ much," she adds.

That's when he opens his eyes and gives her a small smile. "Andy… I love you too," he tells her as he uses his thumb to wipe at the wet spots under her eyes.

She nods her head slightly and presses a quick kiss against his lips before resting her head back on his chest and allowing him to coax her back to sleep.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Well, hope you liked this one! The nightmare scene was basically a rewrite of the moment that Andy discusses in the back of the ambulance after Sam gets shot… In the show it probably happened a little later in season three, but whatever, this is my rewrite

Anyway, hope you liked my version! And don't forget to review!


	21. Flight or Fight

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You okay?" He asks as he nudges Andy's shoulder. The two of them have been lying in bed for the past ten minutes and while she normally talks his ear off during this time of night, she's basically been silent ever since they got under the covers.

"Yeah," she nods. "Just a weird day," she adds.

He nods his head in understanding while allowing his fingers to skim up and down her arm. "You wanna talk about it?" He wonders.

"I don't know," she says as she blows out a breath. "It's just that… running into my mother… it's the last thing I ever expected to happen... I guess, I'm still a little stunned," she adds.

"That's understandable," he replies as he pulls her closer.

"Yeah, I mean… she's back in Toronto and she doesn't even bother reaching out?" Andy continues. "What is wrong with me that my own mother, someone who is _supposed_ to love me unconditionally, doesn't care enough to make a simple phone call to let me know that she's back in town?" Andy questions.

"Hey," he says, in an attempt to grab her attention. " _Nothing_ is wrong with you. Something's wrong with _her_ ," he declares.

"Yeah," she says with a nod of her head, although he's fairly certain that she's not quite convinced. He's about to make more of an effort to persuade her when she opens her mouth to say something else. "You know… she told me that after she left, she called the house every Sunday, but my dad wouldn't let her talk to me," she informs Sam. "I wonder how long it took for her to finally give up," she muses. "Probably not that long," she adds after letting out a breath. "I mean, that's crazy, right? Her only attempt to see me was to call the house once a week? She could've stopped by, she could've fought for visitation… instead, she willingly gave my dad sole custody in the divorce and never even _tried_ to get visitation… I just don't understand how a mother could that," Andy says with a shake of her head.

"I don't know, Andy," he replies as he runs his hand up and down her back.

"I told her I'd have coffee with her," she blurts out a moment later.

"Oh yeah?" Sam asks, trying not to let his own feelings about her decision show.

"Yeah… do you think that's stupid?" She asks as she tilts her chin to look up at him.

"No… if that's what you want to do, then it's not stupid," he tells her.

"Really?" She probes.

"Really," he confirms. "Andy, whatever you want to do… you know, I'll support you," he assures her. "I just want you be careful," he adds because, he just has to.

"I know… I will," she promises before leaning in and giving him a kiss.

And when she pulls away, he can tell by the look on her face that she's got something else on her mind. He's just about to ask, when she decides to tell him on her own.

"You know… I actually remember a time when my parents were happy," she muses. "I still have all of these images in my head of the two of them, from when I was younger… they seemed so in love back then… I'm not sure what happened, but slowly they just started being less and less happy… and then, one day, my mom just up and left," she explains. "It's crazy how that can happen, you know?" She asks as she starts to draw patterns on his chest.

"Yeah," he agrees with a nod.

"Will you promise me something?" She requests after the room is doused in silence for way too long.

"Anything," he guarantees.

"If… if things start to go south with us… if someday, we aren't as happy as we are now… let's promise that we won't just bail… we'll talk it out and we'll work on it… let's agree that we won't just give up on each other," she proposes.

"You're not getting rid of me without a fight," he vows as he tightens his grip on her and kisses her forehead.

"Promise?" She asks.

He shoots her a small smile before pulling her on top of him so they are face to face. "I promise," he assures her as his eyes bore into hers, ensuring that she couldn't possibly doubt his words. "I love you… and I really can't see that changing," he tells her as he pushes a lock of hair behind her hair.

She grins at him and leans a little bit closer. "Me too and… me either," she says before closing the distance between them and pressing her lips against his.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Oh my God," she exclaims as she reads the sheet of paper in her hand. "You can't be serious," she adds as she finally looks up and meets his eyes with a noticeable scowl on her face.

"Andy… just… just let me explain," he pleads.

"How?" She asks. "How are you going to explain this?" She asks as she waves the piece of paper around.

Sam releases a breath and is about to open his mouth when Andy starts up again.

"Sam, you lied to me! You said you'd support me if I wanted to work things out with my mother," she reminds him.

"I _will_ support you," he counters.

" _This_ is you supporting me?" She asks, incredulously. "Running a background check on her behind my back is you being supportive? _Really_?" she asks.

"Andy…" he begins, but she quickly interrupts him.

"How could you do that? I thought our relationship was built on honesty and… and trust… but apparently I was wrong… apparently we keep secrets and lie to each other," she spits back.

"Andy, c'mon," he pleads. "She just showed up one day, completely out of the blue… I was just… I was doing my due diligence," he reasons.

" _Seriously_? Your due diligence? _That's_ what you're going with?" She asks, in amazement.

"Actually… yes," he confirms.

" _Sam_ , how am I supposed to be with someone who doesn't trust my judgment? Who sneaks around and does stuff like this behind my back? People in open, honest relationships don't do that!" She exclaims.

And yeah, he's definitely taken back by the comment. It's the first time she's ever expressed any sort of doubt in him or their relationship and the fact that she's questioning whether she can be with him is making his heart race and his stomach churn and he just has no idea how to make any of this better.

"Andy, I'm sorry, okay?" he apologizes. "I really am," he adds.

"Sam, I just… I can't right now," she tells him with a wave of her hand before she turns around and starts to walk away.

And honestly, he's too stunned to even call after her.

==============REWRITTEN=============

He's pretty sure he doesn't sleep for more than an hour that night. He spends the entire evening tossing and turning, hoping that he hasn't completely fucked everything up between them. They've had the occasional fight before, but never anything like this and it's really freaking him out. He just keeps replaying her words over and over again in his head, torturing himself over the doubt she's feeling. He just… he _can't_ lose her.

So yeah, when he wakes up that morning, he thinks about calling her. The things is, he tried calling her a couple times last night and she never answered and he really doesn't want to give her a chance to ignore him again.

So, that's when he decides he's just going to head over there and force her to talk all of this out.

He drives at least fifteen miles over the speed limit the entire way there, but he just _needs_ to see her. He needs to fix this and he can't wait.

And as he knocks on her front door and listens to her footsteps getting closer, his heartrate starts to pick up and his stomach is suddenly tied up in knots. The fact that he has no idea where this conversation will go is honestly scaring the shit out of him.

Then suddenly, she opens the door and she doesn't look surprised to see him, but she doesn't look too thrilled to find him here, either.

"Hi," she greets him with little emotion.

"Hey… can we talk?" He requests.

She thinks about it for a moment, but eventually she nods her head and gestures for him to come inside. Once she closes the door behind him, he turns to face her and prepares himself for what's to come.

"Andy… Look, of _course_ I trust your judgment. I just wanted to make sure you had all of the information, you know? I mean, all of a sudden she just appears in your life and… and I'm worried… I really don't want you to get hurt again," he tells her. "But I _am_ sorry I didn't tell you what I was doing… but I do want you to know that I _would_ have. I was going to tell you, I promise... And look, I do realize that I went about it in the absolute wrong way," he acknowledges. "It's just that… I love you and I really hate when you're hurting… and I know how much pain she caused when she left and the last thing I want is for her to break your heart again," he explains as he attempts to very slowly ease his way closer to her.

Her face has softened a bit and it's allowing him to relax a little. "I know," she replies. "Just… I really don't want to be in the type of relationship where we keep secrets… so can we _please_ not hide things from each other?" She asks. "I mean, Sam, you're allowed to tell me your opinion… you're allowed to tell me what you're thinking… even if I might disagree, even if you think it's not what I want to hear… I still want you to tell me okay?" She insists. "So please… next time, just _talk_ to me," she implores. "Then we could've avoided all of this," she adds.

He lets out a breath and he is just beyond relieved. "I know, I will, I promise," he tells her. "I'm sorry," he adds as he runs his hands up and down her arms.

"It's okay," she assures him. "And look, I'm well aware that this could completely blow up in my face, okay? I know she could disappear on me again. I know I could get hurt again. I _know_ ," she tells him. "But I just… I really need your support right now… and if it _does_ blow up in my face and I _do_ get hurt again… well, I'll just need you to be there for me then, too."

"I can do that," he promises.

"Okay," she says with a smile. "Thank you."

"So… we're okay?" He asks.

"Yeah, of course we are," she confirms with a nod.

"Okay, good… I… I wasn't sure," he admits.

She tilts her head back to look at him and furrows her brows. "What do you mean?" She wonders.

"With the way we left things yesterday… everything you said… it seemed like you were having doubts about us," he explains.

"Sam, no, I wasn't having doubts, I was just…" she begins before she stops and takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry I left like that… I was upset and I didn't want to say something I'd regret… and I just needed some time to process everything, but... I mean… I was never going to end things if that's what you were thinking," she responds.

"Yeah, it crossed my mind," he tells her.

"Well, it didn't cross mine," she assures him. "I just don't want to feel like we're hiding things from each other, you know?" She asks and waits for him to nod his head. "But I knew we'd work through it… we promised to fight through this stuff, remember?" She says as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"Yeah," he replies as his hands land on her waist.

"I'm sorry I freaked you out," she apologizes. "If you're ever worried about that kind of thing… don't be, okay? I love you and I'm not giving up on us that easily," she tells him.

"Okay," he says as he pulls her closer and presses his forehead against hers. "I love you."

"Love you too," she whispers before standing up on her toes to give him a kiss.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Don't forget to review!


	22. Family

I hope everyone had a nice holiday! Mine was crazy (as always), but good.

Anyway, I realized that I accidentally posted the wrong version of chapter 21. Somehow, the document that I uploaded was not the most recently saved one. It's not a super big deal, the only difference is at the end. I re-posted with the updated version, if you want to check it out.

Also, since it's been kind of a while since my last update, I've gifted you with this nice long one!

Enjoy!

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's almost ten o'clock on a Tuesday night and the two of them are snuggled on the couch together, watching Meet the Fockers, when she starts to think back to the conversation they had a few days ago. It was on her Dad's birthday and they were standing on his front stoop, wearing party hats, as the snow had just started to come down when she asked him about his family.

"Hey, seriously… when _am_ I gonna get to meet your family?" She asks as she tilts her head to look up at him.

He quickly glances down at her before returning his gaze to the television. "I don't know," he shrugs.

"You've met mine… don't you want me to meet yours?" She questions, deciding not to let him off the hook so easily.

"Honestly? Not really," he admits.

"Um… wow… okay," she says, trying not to expose just him how much his words have hurt her.

The thing is, the second the words left his mouth, he knew he'd made a mistake. So, he quickly maneuvers his body so he's facing her, gets a hand on her jaw and forces her to meet his eyes. "Andy, stop. It's not like _that_ … it's just… you know how messed up my family is," he reminds her as he runs his fingers through her hair.

"I know, but-"

"I mean, the only time I speak to my mother is the few times a year she still calls asking me for money … and my sister… we're not really that close anymore… I've tried, but she doesn't exactly agree with my methods regarding our mom," he explains. "And my father? You know he's in prison," he adds.

"I know, but I could still meet him someday," she argues.

"Andy, I just… I don't _ever_ want you to meet him," he confesses.

"Why not?" She retorts.

"Because I… I don't want you to associate me with the type of person he is," he explains.

"Sam…" she begins as her expression starts to soften. "What do you think? I'm going to meet you father and then assume that, someday, you'll be exactly like him?" She asks, although she doesn't stop long enough to hear his response. "Look, just because he's your father doesn't mean you'd ever be anything like him, okay? I _know_ that… I really do… and I know what kind of person _you_ are, so you really don't need to worry about me associating you with him," she assures him. "I just… I just wish you would trust me enough to let me into that part of your life," she tells him.

He lets out a sigh and lets his fingers graze down her spine while his other hand cups her cheek. "Andy, I've told you more than I've ever told anyone. I've been more open with you than I ever thought I could be. And I'm completely committed to you and to us… why can't that be enough?" He asks.

Now it's her turn to let out a breath. "Sam, of _course_ it's enough," she guarantees. "I promise you, it's _enough_ ," she adds. "I know how hard it is for you to open up and I hope you know much how I appreciate that you _have_ opened up to me… because I do… I _really_ do," she promises. "And I'm not saying we need to do this now, okay? Just… you know, maybe someday," she suggests with a reassuring smile.

He nods his head slightly as he pushes some hair behind her ear. "Okay," he tells her.

"Okay," she repeats. "I mean, I don't want you to feel like I'm trying to pressure you into anything… it's just that… I would like to meet them... but not until it's something you're comfortable with," she assures him.

He nods his head. "And I don't want you to think that I'm not introducing you to them because I'm not serious about us," he replies. "I mean, if I wasn't serious about us, I wouldn't care if you met them," he tells her.

"Okay," she says with a nod as she bites down on her lip. "It's just… you know, someday… if I _did_ meet them…. whatever happens… it would never change how I feel about you or us… you know that, right?" She asks.

"Yeah," he tells her as he continues to play with her hair.

"Really?" She asks. "Because I feel like maybe you're not so convinced," she observes.

Sam blows out a breath and ponders her words for a moment as his hand moves down her back. "I guess… I guess maybe part of me isn't sure," he admits.

"Why not?" She asks as she swipes her thumb across his jaw.

"I mean… you can say that it won't change things and you can truly believe that it won't, but… sometimes things just happen and sometimes things just change," he explains.

"Sam, that won't happen, I promise," she assures him.

"Andy, you… you can't promise me that… you have no idea what could happen or how you'll feel," he tells her before letting out a breath. "I've just…. I've lost a lot of good things in my life because of my family and… and you're the absolute _best_ thing in my life and I don't want to do anything that could jeopardize that," he explains.

" _Sam_ ," she says as she gets both hands on his face. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, okay?" she vows. "I promise you… I would never let something like your family affect our relationship… I know what kind of man you are and how happy you make me… and I know how great we are together and that you treat me better than anyone ever has… _That_ is what matters to me, okay?" She asks.

"Yeah," he nods as he desperately tries to trust her words.

"The only reason I want to meet your family is just to get to know that part of your life, that's all… but I promise, even if it went completely horrible… even if it was ten times worse than anything I could imagine… it wouldn't change things between us. I'd still love you and I'd still want to be with you," she vows.

"Okay," he replies as he starts to push her hair behind her ears. "It'll happen someday, I promise," he guarantees.

"Yeah?" She asks with a smile.

"Yeah," he confirms before he pulls her into a kiss.

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's about a week later when he finds her in the kitchen at the station, making coffee, before shift. He quickly makes his way over to her before leaning against the counter beside her.

"Hey," he greets her.

"Hey," she replies with a smile.

"Got any plans for Sunday night?" He asks.

"Um… no," she informs him as she gives him a questioning look.

"Well, I'm having dinner at Oliver's… you wanna come?" He offers.

"With just you and Oliver?" She asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"No… with me, Oliver, Zoe and the girls," he answers.

"Oh," she responds, as she nibbles on her bottom lip.

"You said you wanted to meet the family, McNally," he teases.

She lets out a laugh. "Yeah, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind," she tells him.

"Well, the Shaw's _are_ family," he tells her. "That's where I spend Thanksgiving… and Christmas and Easter… the girls call me Uncle Sammy… they are the people I consider family and I want you to meet them," he tells her with a smile.

"Okay… then, I'm in," she decides as a grin spreads across her face. "I'd love to," she adds.

"Good," he replies as he leans in to give her a quick kiss. "It'll be fun," he adds as he shoots her a smile. "Now, c'mon. We're gonna be late for parade."

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Andy," Sam mumbles in between placing kisses on her neck. The two of them are in bed for the night, but Andy has yet to put down her iPad. Sam's spent the past five minutes trying to distract her, but she's being stubborn tonight.

"Hm?" Andy replies, absentmindedly.

Sam pulls away enough to get a good look at her face. "I'm doing some of my best work here and you're missing it," he informs her with a playful smirk.

Andy finally lifts her eyes off the screen and looks at him with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I'm just trying to find a recipe for Sunday and nothing is speaking to me," she complains.

"Speaking to you?" Sam repeats with an amused smile.

"Yes," she maintains with a slight furrow of her brow. "Shut up," she adds with half a laugh.

"I told you that you don't have to make anything," he reminds her.

" _Sam_ ," she says, as if he's being ridiculous. "I can't show up empty-handed," she chastises.

He shakes his head at her while a smile plays at his lips. "Okay fine, let me help you," he offers as he settles in beside her and takes a look at the screen.

She gets a big grin on her face and immediately returns her attention back to her iPad. "Okay, so I was thinking I could make a dessert… I mean, everyone loves a dessert. How can they not love me if I show up with an apple crisp or a chocolate mousse or I don't know… cupcakes or something?" She wonders.

"Andy, seriously… they will love you either way," he assures her.

She turns her head and gives him a small smile before leaning in for a quick kiss. "Still, I'd rather have this just in case," she tells him.

He chuckles and gives her a soft kiss on her temple before he returns his attention to the different recipes she's been considering. "Okay, well if you're looking to buy their love, I'd suggest something with peanut butter and chocolate," he advises.

"Hm… I can work with that," she replies, happily, before she and Sam scroll through all of the different recipes.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You okay, McNally?" Sam asks Andy with an amused smile as they walk up the driveway towards the Shaw residence.

"Yep. I'm fine," Andy replies, unconvincingly.

"You don't need to be nervous," he assures her. "I can't say they'll be on their best behavior, but I'm sure they won't bite," he adds.

"Oh thanks," she answers, sarcastically. "I just want them to like me," she admits.

Sam's lips turn slightly upward at her words and he pulls her close. "Well, even if they don't like you… _I_ like you," he assures her with a teasing smile as he kisses her temple.

" _Sam_ ," she exclaims as she pulls away and shoots a few daggers at him. "That's not helping!"

"Hey, I'm just kidding," he tells her as he pulls her back against his body. "They're going to love you… I have absolutely no doubt," he promises.

She tilts her head back a bit to get a good look at his eyes, apparently not completely sure whether she should believe him. "You think?" She asks, needing a bit more reassurance.

"C'mon… do people ever _not_ like you?" He asks with a slightly incredulous tone.

" _Yes_ ," she replies.

"I find that hard to believe," he retorts as he pushes some hair behind her ear and slowly caresses her jaw.

"Are you forgetting that _you_ didn't like me when we first met?" She reminds him.

He lets out a laugh and lets his fingers graze down her neck, shoulder and arms. "Well, as long as you don't arrest any of them, I'm sure you'll be fine," he quips.

"Thanks for the tip," she replies with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Andy, they'll like you, I promise," he guarantees. "They'll see how happy you make me and that alone will make them like you," he adds.

She takes a moment to study his face, not quite sure whether he's just trying to appease her or if he's being serious. Eventually, she finds something in his eyes that convinces her he's being truthful and leans in for a kiss. "I love you," she whispers against his lips.

"Love you, too," he replies with a silly smile as she pulls away from him. "Ready?" He asks as he holds his hand out to her.

"Not really," she says as she blows out a breath and interlocks their fingers.

"You'll be fine," he assures her as they walk up the front steps. He gets a hand on the doorknob and pushes the door open before pulling Andy inside. "We're here," he calls out as he takes Andy's jacket and hangs it up on the hook. Before he has a chance to remove his own, a little girl comes running at him, full speed.

"Uncle Sammmmyyyyy!" she exclaims as she comes barreling towards him and leaps into his arms. He catches her like he's done it a million times before and Andy can't help but be impressed.

"Hi Lil," he says with a laugh as she squeezes him into a hug. "I want you to meet Andy," he adds as he gestures towards her.

"Hi," she says, suddenly becoming a little bit shy.

"It's so nice to meet you," Andy says with a warm smile as she enjoys the way the little girl is clinging to Sam.

"She's pretty, Uncle Sammy," Lily half-whispers into his ear.

"I know, Lil," he replies with an amused smile. Before anyone can say anything else, another Shaw walks into the room. She looks a lot like the little girl in Sam's arms, but instead of the sandy blonde hair that's tucked into a top knot on Lily's head, this girl has dark auburn hair that is grazing her shoulder blades. She looks like she's at least five or six years older- Andy guesses she's probably thirteen.

"Hey Maddie," Sam greets her as he gently places Lily down on the floor and takes a couple steps towards Maddie.

"Hey Uncle Sammy," she replies as she throws an arm around him and gives him a hug. "This must be the famous Andy," she says as she appraises her in that way that only a girl her age can do.

"Hi," Andy says, greeting Maddie with the same warm smile she offered Lily.

"Maddie," she replies with what could barely be called half a wave. "Uncle Sammy never lets us meet his girlfriends," she adds a beat later.

"Is that right?" Andy asks as she steals a glance at Sam.

"Guess you're just special," he smiles at her.

"Hm," she says, having trouble taming down her grin.

"Where's your sister?" Sam asks Maddie when he finally tears his eyes off of Andy.

"In her room," she replies.

"What, is she too cool for me all of a sudden?" Sam asks.

"Welcome to the club, brother… she's too cool for all of us," Oliver says as he steps into the room. "Hey McNally," he greets Andy.

"Hey Oliver," Andy replies.

"Daddy, can Andy come see my room?" Lily interrupts, unable to hide her excitement as she bounces on her toes.

"Maybe after dinner, sweetheart," Oliver replies, while simultaneously exchanging an amused smile with Sam.

"Andy, after dinner, you should come see my room!" Lily exclaims.

"I'd love to," Andy replies as Zoe enters the room.

"You must be Andy," she says with a friendly smile. "I'm Zoe," she adds while holding out her hand.

"Hi," Andy replies as she shakes her hand. "I um I brought dessert… I hope everyone likes cheesecake," she adds as she gestures to the large paper bag she's holding. "It's peanut butter and chocolate."

"That's my favorite!" Lily exclaims as she bounces up and down.

"Yeah, I'm sure everyone will find room for that," Zoe says with a smile, before turning her attention to Sam. "Sammy, how are you?" She asks as she pulls him in for a hug.

"Hey Zo, I'm good," he says as he kisses her on the cheek.

"Where's Izzie?" Zoe asks her husband.

"She's in her room, Mommy!" Lily interrupts.

"Well, go upstairs and grab her okay? Tell her Uncle Sammy is here," she instructs her daughter.

"Okay!" She says before skipping up the stairs.

"Teenagers are the _worst_ ," Zoe declares. "Well, come in, come in… let's stop standing in the hallway. Can I get anyone a drink? We have beer, wine, scotch… pick your poison," she offers.

"Beer," Sam and Oliver say in unison.

"Andy?" Zoe asks.

"Beer is fine for me, too. Thanks," she says.

"Okay, why don't you all take a seat in the family room and I'll grab those drinks… Maddie, why don't you come help me?" Zoe suggests.

"Fine," she groans before following her mother.

Meanwhile, Sam grabs Andy's hand and leads her through the house and into the family room before pulling her down on the couch beside him. The adults make idle chit chat for a minute or so before Zoe and Maddie return with three beers and a glass of wine. Zoe sits down next to Oliver on the love seat that's perpendicular to the couch and Andy can definitely feel her eyes on her. She's fairly certain she's just about to open her mouth when Lily comes barreling down the stairs with her sister in tow. Izzie looks a little less like her sisters with her blonde-from-a-bottle hair, rounder face and thick eyeliner, but you can still see the family resemblance.

"Nice of you to join us," Oliver tells her with plenty of sass. Izzie rolls her eyes at the comment, but decides to keep her mouth shut.

"Hey Iz," Sam greets her as he stands up and gives her a hug.

"Hi Uncle Sammy," she replies as she wraps her arms around him.

"I want you to meet Andy," he tells her. "Andy, this is Izzie," he says as he turns back towards Andy.

"Hi Izzie," Andy says with a smile. "It's nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you, too… Uncle Sammy never introduces us to his girlfriends," she mentions.

"So I've heard," Andy replies with a nod and a small smirk.

"Yeah, I was beginning to wonder about him," she says as she steals a teasing glance at Sam.

"Funny," he retorts with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, now that the gang's all here… let's eat," Oliver proposes, earning a chuckle from everyone else in the room.

"Dad wants to eat… I'm shocked," Izzie quips.

Oliver decides to ignore the comment and gestures for everyone to follow him into the dining room.

"Girls, why don't you help me put the food on the table?" Zoe suggests.

"Oh, I can help," Andy offers.

"No, no… you're our guest," Zoe dismisses. "Plus, what's the point of having children if you can't put them to work?" She asks with a playful grin.

Andy nods and takes a seat at the table next to Sam, who immediately squeezes her thigh under the table. Seconds later, Zoe and all three Shaw girls return to the dining room with various platters and casserole dishes full of food. As the dishes get passed around the table, everyone makes light conversation until Lily clears her throat, demanding all of the attention.

"So Andy… what are your intentions with our Uncle Sammy?" Lily asks with her chin in her hand and a quirked eyebrow.

Oliver can only contain his laughter for about a second before it bursts out of him. And yeah, Sam doesn't have to guess to know exactly who is responsible for Lily's words.

"Your Dad put you up to this, didn't he?" Sam asks Lily before Andy can even think of how to respond to her question.

"Yep, we practiced last night," she grins, seemingly proud of the reaction she got from her father.

"Do I even want to know what else you told her to say?" Sam asks as he glances at Oliver, who has finally started to calm down.

"Probably not, brother… but man, those three hours of practice were totally worth seeing the look on McNally's face," Oliver chuckles.

"Thanks Oliver," Andy replies, sarcastically.

"Don't mind him," Zoe urges her. "Sometimes I feel like I have four kids in this house," she adds.

"Only sometimes?" Sam asks, skeptically.

"Well, after fifteen years of marriage, I've got him trained well enough so he acts like an adult every _once_ in a while," Zoe quips.

"Thanks _dear_ ," Oliver replies, giving his wife a teasing glare.

Sam lets out a laugh as he reaches over and grabs Andy's hand again before he slowly starts to stroke the back of her palm with his thumb while everyone continues to enjoy dinner.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Almost an hour later, Sam is clearing his and Andy's plate when he walks into the kitchen to find Zoe washing some pots and pans. When she sees him walking towards her, she turns off the faucet, dries her hands off on a towel, turns to face him and leans against the kitchen counter.

"What?" He asks, already knowing she's got something she wants to say.

"Nothing… I… I just really like her," she tells him.

"Well, what's not to like?" He asks with a playful grin as he rinses the plates in his hands and tosses them in the dishwasher.

Zoe smiles at him as she seems to be inspecting his face. "You just… you look really happy," she observes. "And she seems like she's really good for you."

"That's because I am and she is," he replies, as his smile grows.

"I'm glad… you deserve it," she tells him. "And I'm glad I don't have to worry about you anymore," she adds.

"Oh c'mon. I was fine back then… I'm just better now," He argues.

"Well, we can agree to disagree about that first part," she retorts.

"Whatever you say," he replies with a roll of his eyes before he heads back into the dining room.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"So… was it as scary as you thought it'd be?" Sam teases as the two of them lie in bed together that night.

"Ha ha," she answers, sarcastically.

He lets out a laugh and pulls her closer to his chest. "You glad you went?" He asks.

"Yeah," she says with a smile as she glances up at him. "I like seeing you like that," she adds.

"Like what?" He questions as he looks down at her.

"I don't know… you just seemed like you were really at home there… you were so carefree and at ease… it was nice," she explains. "And seeing you with the girls… it's so obvious how much they adore you," she adds with a warm smile.

He shoots her a smile of his own as he leans in for a quick kiss.

"I guess it's just a different aspect of your life that I had never seen before and I'm glad you let me be a part of it," she tells him. "So… thanks for inviting me tonight," she adds.

"Well, thanks for coming with me," he replies before kissing the top of her head. "But just so you know, you'll probably get roped into going to a lot more of these now," he warns her.

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm… now that Zoe likes you, she probably won't let me get away with not bringing you," he informs her.

"Well, I can live with that if you can," she offers.

"Yeah, I can definitely live with that," he agrees with an affectionate smile.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Let me know what you think!


	23. Forever?

Can't believe this is my first update for this story in the new year! I didn't realize it had been so long. Thus, I made sure to post a nice long chapter Hope you enjoy!

==============REWRITTEN=============

"So uh… Oliver is crashing at my place tonight," Sam informs Andy, after shift, as the two of them walk down the hallway, hand in hand.

"Oh yeah?" Andy replies, as she glances at him with a questioning look.

"Yeah… he uh got in trouble with Zoe," he explains.

"Oh God, what'd he do?" She wonders.

"Went to a strip club," he replies.

"Oh… uh… were you… um…" She hesitates, unsure if she actually _wants_ to know.

"No," he answers her unasked question with a laugh as he squeezes her hand and pulls her close. "Why would I when I have a gorgeous woman at home who strips for me whenever I want?" he asks, almost whispering in her ear.

"Good point," she says with a chuckle. "So, Zoe found out?" She assumes, a minute later.

"Well… I may have told him to tell her," he admits as he leads her out into the parking lot.

"Really?" She asks with surprise, as they make their way over to Sam's truck.

"Yeah, apparently it wasn't very good advice," he responds, as he throws their bags in the back and then turns back towards her.

"Well maybe to Oliver, but your girlfriend thinks it's excellent advice," she says with a grin as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"Oh yeah?" He asks as his hands travel down her sides and land on her waist.

"Mhm… definitely earned you a few points," she replies with a nod and a silly smirk.

"Hmm… and when do I get to cash in these points?" He inquires as a smile plays on his lips.

"Well… I guess whenever you and Oliver are finished with your sleepover," she teases.

"Well then I guess that means I should probably call Zoe and beg her to take him back," he laughs.

"Guess so," she says with a grin.

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's around ten o'clock and she is just about to head off to bed when she hears a knock on the door.

She swiftly gets up off the couch and peeks through her peep-hole to find Sam standing on the other side of her door. A smile graces her lips as she quickly fixes her hair and opens the front door.

"Wow, Zoe took him back already?" Andy laughs.

Sam chuckles, but shakes his head at the question. "Nope… I threw everything I had at her, but she's always been able to resist my powers of persuasion," he explains with a mock frown.

"Hm… I gotta ask her to teach me that trick," Andy quips as she gestures for Sam to come inside.

"I'd rather you didn't," he retorts as he gets both arms around her and pulls her close.

"Oh I'm sure you wouldn't," she laughs before she leans in for a kiss. "So what, you just left Oliver at your place?" She asks with an amused expression.

"He's fine," Sam says with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I sat him down in front of a Seinfeld marathon with a six pack of beer and a pizza… he won't even notice I'm gone," he explains.

"You _really_ left him?" She asks, surprised.

Sam chuckles as he runs his hands up and down her sides. "He passed out about thirty minutes ago," he informs her.

"Ah… so I guess that means you came for your reward," she smirks.

"Not _just_ that… but yeah," he grins as his hands dip just under her shirt.

"Well, by all means…" she replies with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows, causing Sam to laugh out loud.

And moments later, he's cupping her jaw with one hand and smiling down at her before she erases the space between them and presses her lips against his. And within seconds, they are stumbling towards her bedroom.

The moment they get through her bedroom door, he picks her up, wraps her legs around his hips, pushes her up against the wall and starts to swiftly unbutton her shirt while meeting each and every one of her kisses.

Quickly, both of their shirts are tossed in a pile on the floor and Sam is nipping at Andy's neck while she allows her hands to explore his chest.

She lets out a groan and throws her head back against the wall when he gets her earlobe in between her teeth and starts to nibble. Eventually, once she's able to think again, she slides her hands down his body and swiftly unbuckles his belt.

Moments later, Sam pulls them away from the wall and takes the three steps towards her bed before he places her down on her feet. And just as the back of her knees are hitting her mattress, Sam is swiftly unbuttoning her jeans and pushing them down her legs. As he enjoys the sight of her wearing only her underwear, Andy does her best to quickly remove Sam's jeans as well. Seconds later, her back is hitting the sheets and he is crawling up her body.

When he gets completely on top of her, she tips her head up to look at him and he brings his lips to hers once more. Soon, she is eagerly parting her lips and allowing his tongue to slide against hers while his hands trace every inch of her upper body.

She doesn't even notice him removing her bra, but suddenly, it's off and her breasts are pressed against his chest while his fingers travel south. First, his hands slide down her back as his palms warm her skin, but eventually, they move to cradle and massage her ass.

By now, he's completely hard and his cock is resting right in between her legs, where his slight movements are giving her just the smallest amount of pressure. She's already aching for it and she tries to buck her hips in order to get what she's after, but Sam is intent on teasing her.

It's ridiculous, actually. The way he knows exactly what to do to make her absolutely crazy. It's honestly like nothing she's ever experienced before. She's never had a man who knew her body this well. She's never had someone who bothered to learn it like Sam has. And as wound up as she is, thinking about it kind of makes her melt.

When Sam begins nibbling on her neck, Andy starts to get desperate, so she slips her hand into Sam's boxers and grabs ahold of his cock. As she begins to squeeze and stroke it, Sam groans deep in her ear, causing a smile to spread across her lips.

It's probably silly, but she still gets a little bit proud when she can get this reaction out of him.

Sam blows out a breath before placing several kisses along Andy's collarbone, up her neck and across her cheek. Then he pulls away and gets on his knees and takes a couple steps backwards, forcing Andy to release him. He hooks his fingers in her underwear and pulls it down her legs, as she lifts them in the air to assist him. After tossing them on the floor and slipping out of his own boxers, he returns his attention to her.

She's expecting him to settle himself back in between her legs, but instead he just takes a moment to look over her body, tracing every curve and adoring every inch.

She can't help but smile at him as she watches. She kind of loves it when he does this. It's the look in his eyes that really gets to her. It's like she's the most amazing thing he's ever seen and he just has to memorize every bit of her. He's seen her naked hundreds of times by now and yet, he always seems so stunned by it. She's never had anyone but Sam look at her like that and it's one of the many things he does that she can never get enough of.

Eventually, he crawls back up her body and hovers over her before cupping her jaw and leaning in for a kiss. And as he licks into her mouth, she lets out a delighted hum. Meanwhile, his hands are sliding in between her legs and gently toying with her clit.

Andy is already breathing harder and although it's been less than a minute of him touching her like this, she's already feeling a little out of control.

Then, suddenly, Sam begins kissing his way down her body, occasionally nipping at her skin or allowing his tongue to steal a sweeping taste of her body. And when he lightly sucks on a spot below her belly button, her knees turn to jelly.

Andy arches her back a bit, attempting to speed up the process and get him where she wants him, but Sam just lets out a laugh and continues to tease her for another minute.

Andy is so wound up that she lets out an audible groan when Sam places a few light kisses in between her legs. Finally, he puts her out of her misery and licks her from top to bottom, causing her to shut her eyes and sink into the mattress.

Moments later, Sam slides a finger inside of her and licks circles around her clit, eliciting a loud groan from Andy's lips. His tongue is sending sensations all throughout her body and she's already gripping the sheets and making a bit more noise.

"Oh… Oh God…" she groans as she gets louder.

Sam cradles her ass with both hands and pulls her towards him in order to add some pressure. And yeah, that drives Andy a little bit crazy.

"Shit, Sam…oh fuck," Andy cries as Sam adds a second finger and starts to suck on her clit. "Yes… oh God," she moans as she lifts her hips and arches her back in attempt to ride Sam's fingers and chase his tongue.

Sam willingly gives up some of the control and lets Andy take what she wants, all the while sucking just a little bit harder.

And within seconds, she starts to convulse, declaring her orgasm.

Sam hums with his lips still wrapped around her clit, effectively extending her ecstasy. And once it's all over, she falls back against the mattress, still panting and trying to catch her breath.

Sam crawls alongside her and watches her bask in the afterglow of her orgasm. As always, he looks a bit smug, but she doesn't mind… he _does_ have a pretty good reason to look smug.

"Good?" He asks with a smirk, once her breathing starts to regulate.

"Eh," she says with a shrug as she tries to maintain her poker face.

"Oh yeah?" He dares her, obviously aware that she's bullshitting him.

She giggles before she swings her leg over his lap and straddles him. "You know it was," she retorts. "Always is," she adds.

He smiles up at her and pulls her head down to meet her lips. She melts into him for a moment, allowing her hands to roam his back while his tongue chases hers but eventually, she pulls away and meets his eyes.

Next, she's sliding down his body and leaning over to take his entire cock in her mouth. He lets out an audible groan as she twirls her tongue around him and squeezes him with her hand. She bathes him with attention for a minute or so before she eventually releases him and quickly lines herself up. Before he can even miss the warmth of her mouth, she's sinking down on him, while groans of pleasure resonate from deep within them both. She lets herself get used to him for a moment, but soon she is circling her hips and slowly riding him.

Sam just lies there and watches her for a bit, immensely enjoying the view, while his hands trace every single inch of her body. He could never get sick of seeing her like this- wild hair, eyes closed, mouth open, chin tipped in the air, obviously feeling him with every nerve in her body. Yeah, he really can't get enough of it.

Eventually, his hands land on her breasts and he gently pinches her nipples, which always spurs her on. She immediately starts to move faster, which in turn, only makes her get louder.

Then, he sits himself up, which gets a big gasp out of her as he starts hitting her at a different angle. He smiles and lifts his chin to plant a quick kiss on her and then, he turns his attention to her breasts. His mouth immediately attaches to one while his fingers knead and massage the other. After several seconds, he switches off and uses his mouth on the other one. When he starts to gently nibble, she groans out loud and starts riding him even faster, which forces Sam to release her and lie back on the mattress.

He watches her go up and down on him for a moment before he starts to thrust into her from below.

"Sam… Oh God" she moans, starting to lose control all over again. He can sense how close she is already and slides his hand down her stomach to land on her clit. The moment he touches her, she lets out a gasping moan and picks up speed. "Yes... Sam… oh shit…" she cries as she repeatedly impales herself on him.

It's maybe only a minute later that she's shuddering all around him and eventually collapsing on his chest.

"Jesus," she declares as she attempts to catch her breath.

He lets out a chuckle and runs his finger through her hair while her face is buried in his neck. He gives her a few minutes to recover, but soon, he can feel her start to slowly circle her hips and a smile sweeps across his face.

He lifts her chin with his finger and when he sees the glint in her eye, he knows she's good to go. He presses his lips firmly to hers and allows their tongues to intertwine before he swiftly flips her body, so he's hovering over her.

She gets a big grin on her face as her hands explore his back. He chuckles at her expression and goes to suck on her neck.

He starts off slow, but within seconds, he feels her body respond to him and begins to move faster. He glides in and out of her with a steady rhythm while allowing his pelvis to rub against her clit. And yeah, it's really working for her.

"Fuck, _Sam_ ," she groans as she throws her head back against the pillow.

He picks up the pace once again and then starts to roll his hips in a circle, which makes her a bit crazy.

"Oh God, right there," she moans when he circles his hips again and again. "Oh God," she repeats. She starts to dig her fingertips into his shoulders and he picks up the pace as his hands travel down her body and land on her ass.

While he continues to suck on her neck, she tightens her grip on his waist with her legs and lets out a distinct groan. Soon, she's writhing under him, twisting and lifting her hips to meet his efforts.

Eventually, she lets out a long, throaty cry as her orgasm takes hold and her body shudders against him as the room starts to spin. It's only seconds later that Sam is pushed over the edge and that they are both attempting to catch their breath.

"Pretty sure _I_ was supposed to be rewarding _you_ ," she quips, a minute or so later.

He grins at her and leans in to give her a kiss before he eases out of her and lies on the bed beside her. He immediately pulls her into him and presses his lips to the top of her head.

"You did," he tells her.

"Not as much as you rewarded me," she says with a laugh.

"Well, I guess you owe me one then," he replies with a smirk.

"Or two," she quips, causing both of them to laugh out loud.

He smiles at her and then lifts her chin to press a kiss on her lips before resting his head back on the pillow.

"Can you stay or do you have to go back home?" She wonders.

"I can stay for a little while, but I should probably go check on Shaw at some point… make sure he doesn't get up for a midnight snack and eat all of your cookie dough ice cream," he teases.

"Hmm you're right… maybe you should just get going now," she quips.

"Oh yeah?" He asks as he maneuvers her body so she's draped on top of him.

"Well, I guess you can stay for a _few_ more minutes," she replies with a smirk.

"Just a few?" He questions as his hands travel down her body.

"Or maybe forever," she tells him with an affectionate smile.

"Forever, huh?" He asks. "I guess I could do that."

Andy grins and leans in for a kiss while Sam gets a hand in her hair.

" _But_ you better replace my cookie dough ice cream," she retorts after she pulls away.

Sam lets out a laugh as she smiles down at him. "Deal," he agrees.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Sorry to burst your bubble, brother, but that idea is awful," Sam says with a laugh as he tosses the velvet box holding the engraved knife, back to Jerry. "You might as well ask her with skywriting," he teases.

"Well, how would _you_ do it?" Jerry counters, getting a bit defensive.

"What?" Sam asks, taken back by the question.

"How would you propose? To Andy," he clarifies. And he's already starting to get a little bit of enjoyment by how uncomfortable the question is making him.

"Uh…" Sam murmurs, as he nervously runs his fingers through his hair.

"What? You've really never thought about a future with Andy?" Jerry asks, skeptically.

"A future? Sure…. a little… but marriage? We haven't even been together that long," he reminds him. Yeah, they've been together for over two years, but… Jerry doesn't know that. And still, two years isn't _that_ long.

"I know, but… it's been a year and you're still going strong and… I mean… that's practically a lifetime for you, Sammy. I guess I just figured… well, anyway, think about it now. How would you do it?" Jerry probes. Yeah, this kind of started as pay back for Sam's teasing, but now he's actually pretty curious.

"Uhh…" Sam says again, as he starts to imagine it. And actually, it's really not that difficult. "I guess I'd just do something simple… none of that putting the ring in food or asking her on the big screen at a hockey game… maybe I'd take her somewhere that meant something to her or to us and then I'd ask her… I don't think Andy isn't really the type that needs all of the theatrics," Sam explains.

"Hm… yeah, maybe you're right," Jerry comments as he starts to fidget with the velvet box in his hands.

As Sam watches him, he begins to see the doubt creeping up on Jerry's face and he starts to feel guilty for putting it there. "Although, I don't really know what Nash is into, so if your gut is telling you this is the way to go, then I would listen to it… I mean, it's nice that she'll get to have the knife forever… to remember it," he offers. "And I'm sure she'll say yes whether she likes the knife or not," Sam continues.

"Yeah," Jerry agrees, still not entirely convinced. "I guess I'll think about it," he decides.

"Seriously, don't overthink it," he tells him. "Just go with your gut," he adds.

"Yeah, I will," Jerry says with a nod.

"Good luck, brother," Sam tells him with a pat on the back.

"Yeah, thanks."

==============REWRITTEN=============

"I can't believe he proposed to her with an engraved knife," Andy laughs as she slips out of her jeans and unclips her bra before pulling one of Sam's t-shirts over her head. "And he didn't even flip the knife over so when she opened the box, she could see the engraving… she literally walked around with that thing _all_ day, having no idea what it said!" Andy exclaims. "And to do it at work! In the middle of their shift!" She adds. "And then he just walked away… I mean, it didn't cross his mind that he should wait for an answer? Or actually _say_ something?" She wonders. "He just hands her the knife and goes back to work… God, Traci was so pissed… she thought all he got her for their anniversary was a _knife_ ," Andy giggles.

"I know, I told him it was a stupid idea," Sam replies with a smirk.

"Wait… you _knew_?" Andy asks, completely stunned.

"Yeah, Jerry showed me the knife last week… and I told him it was dumb," he says with a shrug as he gets into bed.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" Andy exclaims as she gets under the covers and turns to face him.

"Jerry swore me to secrecy," he explains.

"Yeah, but when someone tells you to keep a secret, they don't mean from _me_ ," she counters, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh yeah?" He asks with an amused smile. "I had no idea," he comments.

"Yeah well, just remember it for next time," she says with a smirk.

"Oh I will," he promises with a teasing grin.

"So… what did Jerry say when you told him the knife was dumb?" She wonders

"He got kindda defensive… asked me how I'd do it," he replies as he leans back against his pillows and pulls her closer.

"Oh?" She asks as he suddenly peaks her interest. "And how _would_ you do it?" She probes.

A smile slips out of his lips as he turns his head to glance at her. " _Well_ … I told him that simple was probably better…. no gimmicks… no skywriting, no rings in the champagne glass, no choreographed song and dance number, and definitely no sporting events," he explains.

"That sounds about right," she agrees.

"So, I'd probably just do it somewhere that was meaningful to us or I don't know, maybe we'd go away on a nice vacation or something… or maybe none of that… I don't know… I think what I _say_ probably matters more than where we are," he decides.

"Yeah… I think you're right," she concurs, a little bit stunned by this conversation. The way he's talking… is he imagining _her_ in this proposal scenerio?

"But Jerry was really attached to the knife idea, so whatever… I guess, as long as Nash said yes, it doesn't actually matter _how_ he did it," Sam muses.

"Right, yeah," Andy agrees as she's still a little bit lost in her thoughts.

"Hey, can you set the alarm?" Sam asks as he gestures over to the clock that's sitting on the nightstand by her side of the bed.

"Oh uh yeah, sure," she says, trying to shake herself out of this haze. She quickly sets his alarm and then settles back into his arms.

"Night," he says as he kisses the top of her head and pulls her closer.

"Night," she replies before she closes her eyes and tries to go to sleep. The thing is, she can't shake all of these thoughts stirring around in her head.

Does Sam actually think about them getting married someday? Does he really want that?

She blows out a quiet breath and tries to calm herself down before Sam realizes that she's freaking out and asks her what's wrong.

She's not even really sure why she's reacting this way. Maybe Sam didn't mean it the way it sounded... and even if he did… is that so bad?

She loves Sam. She really does.

She's only really been in love once before, but it was nothing like this. The way she feels about him… it's so much more than she's ever felt about anyone else. The way he treats her, the way he makes her laugh, the way he looks at her, the way he protects her, teaches her, loves her… she's never felt anything remotely close to this.

And it's not like she _doesn't_ want to marry him someday. It's just… well, it's just that she's never really thought about it before.

Except that, the more she thinks about it now… the more she realizes that she _does_ kind of want it.

And yeah, that scares her on a whole new level.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Don't forget to let me know what you think!


	24. Mysterious

Here's the next chapter. Hopefully it brightens your Sunday night/Monday morning

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You really love him, huh?" The psychic asks Andy after Sam steps out of the squad car to fill up the gas tank. They've been driving around for what feels like hours, but they are no closer to finding a lead than when they started.

"What?" She asks as she turns to look at him with a confused expression.

"Your partner," he clarifies.

"Oh," she replies as her eyes briefly land on Sam before returning to the man in the backseat. "Uh… yeah, I do," she confirms. "Why?" She wonders.

"He loves you, too," he assures her, ignoring her question.

"I _know_ ," she replies as she gives him a weird look.

"Well, I hope you know what a big deal that is for him," he remarks.

"What are you talking about?" Andy asks, as her eyebrows furrow and she's got confusion written all over her face.

"He's never been in love before," he explains. "This is a really big deal for him," he continues.

"What?" Andy asks, again. "Really?" She adds, instantly feeling silly. It's not that she _actually_ believe what he's saying. Obviously, he just gathered that they were in a relationship from spending the past thirty minutes in the car with them, not because of some psychic powers. And although she wishes she could believe in that kind of thing, she just can't. In fact, she's pretty sure he's just messing with her somehow.

"Yeah…. he's never really had a serious relationship before… he dated a few different girls as a teenager, but it was always short-lived," he tells her. "There was _one_ relationship that was longer, but still nothing too serious. And since then, he's always dated casually," he explains. "You've never discussed past relationships?" He inquires with surprise.

"Uh no… not really," she shrugs, as she feels like this is starting to get weird. "It never seemed important," she defends.

"Yeah, I get that… I just thought you'd want to know that this is serious for him… he doesn't throw those words around lightly," he tells her.

"Well, neither do _I_ ," she insists, as she starts to get a bit worked up.

"I know… sorry… I'm not trying to annoy you," he apologizes. "I just assumed you'd want to know," he explains.

"No, no, I'm sorry," she tells him, feeling a bit ridiculous for letting him get to her. "This is just… well, it's kind of a weird conversation to be having," she explains.

And it looks like he's about to respond when Sam opens the door and slides into his seat.

"Ready?" He asks, turning towards her.

"Yeah," she nods before she glances at the psychic through the rearview mirror.

And after that, she's kind of in a fog.

Yeah, it's not that she completely _believes_ everything he said, it's just… well, it got her thinking.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You okay? You look funny," Traci comments as she and Andy are changing in the locker room after shift.

"Uh yeah… just a really weird shift," she remarks.

"You were driving around with that psychic right?" Traci inquires.

"Yeah," Andy confirms.

"How was it?" She wonders. "Did he tell you when you're gonna die or something?" She teases.

"No, but it was… really, really strange," Andy replies.

"What do you mean?" She questions.

"He uh… he told me that Sam's never been in love before," Andy whispers.

"Seriously?" Traci asks.

"Yeah… that's crazy, right? I mean… do you think it's true?" Andy wonders. Yeah, she doesn't believe in psychics, but it wouldn't exactly _surprise_ her if Sam had never been in love before.

"Probably," she shrugs. "I mean, Jerry told me that as long as they've known each other, Sam's _never_ been with anyone he'd actually consider a girlfriend… usually, he would just date," she explains. "Jerry was completely shocked when he found out about the two of you," she adds.

"Really?" Andy asks.

"Oh yeah, he thought I was making it up," Traci laughs.

"So… you think the psychic is right?" Andy questions.

"Maybe… why?" Traci replies.

"I don't know… this whole thing is kind of freaking me out," she acknowledges.

"Why would that freak you out? I think it's sweet. You're his first real love," Traci says with a smile.

"Traci, _nobody_ ends up with their first love," she declares. "And I… I _want_ to end up with Sam," she confesses.

"Wow," Traci remarks upon hearing Andy's words. She knew it was serious between them, but she didn't know it was _that_ serious.

"I know," Andy shrugs, as her eyes briefly land on the floor. "But I do… and it just freaks me out that it might not happen," she admits.

"Andy, _plenty_ of people end up with their first love," she assures her as she places a comforting hand on her back. "And usually, when they don't it's just because they met their first love in high school or college, not in their thirties. I wouldn't worry about it," she tells her.

"Yeah… yeah, I guess you're right," Andy nods as she wills herself to believe Traci's words. "I don't know why I'm letting that guy get to me… everything he told me was probably just an educated guess," she reasons.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right," Traci agrees. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Yeah… yeah, I'll try," she tells her.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You're being quiet," Sam notes as his fingertips graze Andy's arm, while the two of them are snuggled on the couch together.

"Oh… sorry," she apologizes with a shrug.

"Something on your mind?" He wonders.

"Um… I guess… yeah… kind of," Andy stammers. She's really been trying to think about anything else but that stupid psychic, but yeah… she hasn't been too successful.

"Okay… what's up?" He asks as he sits up a bit, seemingly preparing himself for the talk they're about to have.

"Uh… well, I guess I was just thinking that… I mean… we've never really had the whole 'past relationships talk'," she explains.

"Um… okay…" he says, entirely confused about why she would bring this up now.

"So… why is that?" She inquires.

"Well… I would guess it's because I don't really want to think about you being with anyone else," he informs her.

"I don't like thinking about that either, but this is something normal couples discuss," she points out.

"Why? Why does it matter?" He asks. "The past is the past."

"It just does," she replies. "We should know these kinds of things about each other," she adds.

" _Why_?" He questions. "We know the important stuff… _that's_ what matters," he maintains.

"Why don't you want to tell me?" She wonders, as she furrows her eyebrows and starts to let her frustration show.

He watches her for a moment, apparently debating whether he should fight her on this or just give in. Eventually, he blows out a breath and decides to appease her. "Fine… what do you want to know?" He inquires.

"Well… tell me about your other girlfriends," she prompts.

"There's really not much to tell," he insists. "I had a few girlfriends in high school… we just dated for two to three months… four, at the most," he begins. "Then, right before I joined the academy, I was seeing this girl, Laura… and that lasted for… I don't know… almost a year," he continues. "And after that, I was pretty focused on being a cop, so I was single for a while and then I started working undercover, so I would only date a little in between jobs, but it was never anything more than casual," he explains with a shrug.

"Okay… uh… wow," Andy says, in complete disbelief.

"What?" He asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"That's basically what the psychic told me today," she informs him.

"The psychic?" He repeats, obviously confused. "You were asking the psychic about me?" He probes as his eyebrows skyrocket.

"No," she denies with a shake of her head. "I didn't ask him anything… I was just sitting there and he randomly started telling me things about you," she clarifies.

"Like what?" He questions.

"Well… he was telling me about your past girlfriends and he basically said exactly what you just did… and uh… he said you've never been in love before," she tells him.

"Oh… uh, well I mean… yeah, that's true," he says with a shrug.

"Really?" She asks.

"Yeah," he confirms with another shrug of his shoulders.

"And you've really never dated anyone for longer than a year?" She probes.

"Just you," he says with a smile as his hand lands on her thigh.

She offers him a quick smile before returning her attention to the list of questions bubbling around in her head. "So what happened with Laura?" She wonders.

"I don't know… I joined the academy and she was going to school to get her teaching degree… we just drifted apart… and one day we both just realized that it wasn't really working anymore. It was completely amicable," he explains.

"But you didn't love her?" She asks. "Even though you had been together for almost a year?"

"No, I didn't," he responds. "We were together for a while, but we were young and it never felt like it was especially serious... we were more like friends than anything else."

"And you didn't have any other serious relationships after that?" She questions.

"Nope," he replies.

"How come?" She wonders.

"Well… I was undercover a lot… and I guess I just wasn't looking for anything long-term," he tells her.

"So… I mean… what changed?" She wonders.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "I just… I met you," he tells her with a loving smile.

Andy grins at his words and leans in for a quick kiss before running her fingers through his hair as a smirk plays on her lips. "Yeah, but you hated me when we first met," she laughs.

"Yeah, I kindda did," he admits.

"And then you just wanted to get laid," she accuses with a teasing smile.

"That wasn't _all_ I wanted," he argues.

"Oh really?" She asks, skeptical.

"Yeah, I also wanted to thank you for saving my ass," he quips.

"By sleeping with me?" She questions with a laugh.

"Exactly," he grins.

"So cocky," she retorts with a playful roll of her eyes.

He chuckles and presses another quick kiss on her lips.

"So… when did it become more than sex?" She wonders.

"I'm not sure it was ever _just_ sex," he admits.

"Oh?" She asks with a curios raise of her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I mean… that first day we rode together… everything you did at Anton Hill's restaurant, I was… impressed. I was _more_ than impressed," he amends. "And at the Penny that night... in the parking lot… when you told me that you weren't scared because I was there… the fact that you just trusted me like that… it kind of blew my mind," he tells her. "The first time we slept together, I already felt something for you… it was small, but it was there," he informs her. "And after that… I mean, yeah, the sex was great, but I also just liked being around you, you know?" He questions.

"Yeah," she says with a nod and a smile.

"I guess it was probably Fite Nite that I actually realized what was happening," he mentions. "Seeing you upset like that… I just… I just wanted to make you feel better… and then… telling you about my mom… that's not something I ever would've done, but I don't know… for some reason, I told you," he continues. "I guess that's when I realized that it was more than sex."

"That's when it became more for me, too," she smiles.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah… the way you were there for me… I didn't even ask you to be, but you were there, no questions asked… and then afterwards, you were… you were taking care of me and you were trying to make me feel better… you listened to me and you gave me advice… it meant a lot to me," she tells him.

"I love you," he beams.

"I love you, too," she says with a big smile before she leans in and gives him a kiss. That's when he reaches out and maneuvers her around so she's straddling his lap while they continue to kiss for another minute or two. "So… do you have any questions for _me_?" She wonders, once they pull away.

"Nope," he responds with a shake of his head.

"Really?" She questions. "You aren't curious? Not even a little?"

"Not even a little," he replies.

" _Seriously_?" She asks.

"Andy, the last thing I _ever_ want to think about is you being with anyone else… it pretty much makes me sick to my stomach," he admits.

"Okay," she says with a laugh before she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him.

"Does that mean we're done talking?" He wonders when she pulls back from their kiss, a smirk playing on his lips.

"We're done talking," she smiles, nodding her head.

"Perfect," he replies as he wraps his arms around her, stands up and carries her off to his bedroom.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Personally, this one is not really my favorite. It's kind of a filler/transitional chapter, but I hope you liked it!

I will try to post in the next few days, but truthfully, I've been getting a little caught up in my Poshmark store after work lol. I've made $1,500 so far and now I'm probably becoming addicted lol. Does anyone else have this problem?

Anyway, I luckily have plenty of chapters stock-piled so I just need to put aside 30 minutes to make some edits. So, hopefully I'll post the next chapter in a few!

Feel free to motivate me by leaving a review!


	25. Hazards of the Job

I can't believe this is the 25th chapter! I feel like the time has kind of flew by, but it also sort of feels like it's been forever... weird...

PS- I'm pretty sure I got some of the "how am I gonna make it work with you" dialogue from somewhere, but I have _no_ idea where.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You really think it's over between them?" Andy wonders as she and Sam are snuggled on the couch together after shift, neither of them paying any attention to the hockey game on in the background.

"I don't know… I think it might be," Sam replies as he pulls her a little bit closer into his side.

"Poor Oliver," Andy remarks. "Have you talked to him? How's he doing?" She asks.

"Not great… I told him he could stay here tonight, but he said he wanted to be alone… I think he's staying in a motel," Sam conveys.

"Well, just make sure he doesn't have _too_ much alone time… that never works," she comments.

"Yeah, I know… I'm just worried about him," Sam remarks. "Now, he's only going to get to see his kids half the time and… and I mean, Zoe… they've been together for almost twenty years… she's the love of his life and now… now, it's just _over_ between them? How is he supposed to get over that?" He wonders.

"I don't know," Andy replies with a shake of her head and sadness in her eyes. "It's obviously going to take time," she adds.

"Yeah," Sam nods his head before he's suddenly lost in his thoughts.

And it definitely doesn't escape Andy's notice, either. She can instantly tell that he's thinking hard about something with the way his eyes are just staring off into space and his forehead is a little bit wrinkled and he keeps clenching his jaw. She knows that there's something he's not saying and she's not sure why.

"Something else on your mind?" She inquires, cautiously.

"What?" He asks as he snaps back to reality. "Oh… no, that's it," he assures her. But yeah, she's just not buying it.

"Yeah? You sure?" She questions. "It seemed like you were thinking about something," she adds.

"It's nothing," he dismisses.

"Really?" She asks, skeptically.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he tells her, but again, she doesn't believe it for a second.

"Sam, c'mon… just talk to me," she requests.

"Andy, really, it's nothing," he says again.

Andy blows out a breath in an effort to control her frustration. She hates when he bottles things up like this and refuses to let her in. "Sam, you're always there for me when _I_ need to talk and I… I just wish you would let me be there for you… something is _obviously_ bothering you… just talk to me… please?" she implores.

He sits there for a moment, just searching her eyes and apparently debating whether he should tell her or not. Eventually, he takes a deep breath and starts to gently stroke her back. "It's just… Oliver is a good husband, good father… he grew up with a normal family, a normal life… if he can't make it work with the love of his life then… I don't know… I guess I'm just wondering how I'll ever make it work with you," he confesses.

And yeah, that definitely throws her for a loop. Is she reading too much into it or did he sort of imply that she's the love of his life?

But as she locks eyes on his searching gaze, she decides that she'll have to overanalyze that little gem later. "Look Sam, I don't know what's going to happen for us, but just because Oliver and Zoe are having problems… it doesn't mean that _we_ will… or that if we do, we won't be able to work through them," she assures him. "And look, neither one of us had the white picket fence childhood… it doesn't mean we can't be happy together. We just have to keep figuring all of this out together, you know? We have to promise not to give up on each other… to keep trying," she tells him.

He subtly nods his head at her words while his fingers continue to explore her back. "Yeah, it's just that… this job isn't exactly conducive to long lasting relationships," he reminds her. "And I… I _really_ want this to work," he adds.

"So let's make sure it works," she says with a smile.

"That simple?" He asks, skeptically.

"No," she says with a shake of her head. "But if we both want it bad enough, we should be able to figure it out, don't you think?" she replies.

"Yeah," he agrees, although he doesn't sound too confident.

"And I know that I _really_ want it," she tells him with a reassuring smile.

As a smile finally appears on his lips, he gently squeezes her hip and pulls her closer. "Me too," he replies before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Good… so, we'll figure it all out together, okay?" She tells him.

"Yeah… okay," he nods, as he tries to will himself to believe it.

==============REWRITTEN=============

As the two of them lie in Sam's bed together a few days later, they are both completely lost in their own thoughts. Today was a rough day, to say the least.

Late last night, Gail was kidnapped from Andy's apartment and Andy ended up caught in the scuffle. Luckily, it all turned out okay and they were able to find Gail, but it definitely spooked them both.

When Andy wasn't in parade this morning, Sam assumed that she and Gail had just stayed up late and overslept, but as soon as he heard the panic in her voice, his stomach dropped. Moments later, he bolted out of parade and rushed to her apartment, violating several speeding laws in the process.

When he finally got to her and saw that she was okay, he couldn't help but think how close he had come to losing her. And as she was answering all of Jerry's questions, he was in a complete daze, unable to think of anything else.

After that, he basically refused to let her out of his sight for the rest of the day. In fact, he's not sure how he'll ever be able let her out of his sight again. It's just… if something ever happened to her… he can't even imagine how he'd survive it.

And as the thought crosses his mind again, he tightens his grip on her and kisses the top of her head. She tilts her chin up to look up into his eyes and snuggles impossibly close to him. It's as if neither one of them can handle even a centimeter of space between them right now.

"How's your head?" He asks eventually as he runs his fingers through her hair.

"Okay," she shrugs. "My headache is mostly gone," she adds.

He nods and allows his fingers to slide down her shoulder.

"Do you think Gail will be okay?" She wonders a few seconds later.

"Yeah, she'll be okay," he confirms with a nod. "It will probably take some time though… she's been through something pretty traumatic," he adds.

"I know," Andy nods. "I mean, I didn't even get kidnapped and I don't think I can handle being alone at my apartment ever again," she declares. "I don't know what I'm gonna do when you're working the night shift and I'm off… I'll have to crash at Traci's… or maybe my Dad's… And of course, I _just_ renewed my lease a few months ago," she groans.

"Andy, you know you can just stay here," he tells her.

She tilts her head back up to look at him with a questioning gaze. "Really? You don't mind?" She asks.

"Of _course_ I don't mind … I like it when you stay here," he replies, surprised that she would have any doubt.

"But… even when you're not here?" She clarifies.

"Of course," he repeats. "Actually… hold on," he says as he moves to sit up and reluctantly pry himself out of her grasp.

"What are you doing?" She wonders as she sits up and watches him walk to the other side of the room where his duffle bag is resting on a chair. He quickly starts digging through it before he pulls something out and wraps his fingers around it. They lock eyes as he comes back towards the bed and when he sits down beside her, he opens his hand to show her what's inside.

"Been meaning to give this to you," he explains as he displays the key he's holding.

"A key?" She asks, dumb-founded. "Really?"

"Yeah," he nods with a smile. "I want you to have this," he explains. "And I want you to _use_ it," he adds. "I mean it, you're always welcome, okay? _Always_. Even when I'm not home," he assures her.

"Okay…" she replies as she takes the key from him and studies it in her hand for a moment. "Thanks," she offers as she meets his eyes.

"You're welcome," he says with a bit of a teasing smile.

She chuckles and leans in for a quick kiss before she goes to put the key on the nightstand. When she turns back towards him, he takes her in his arms and pulls her close before planting a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm really glad you're okay," he murmurs, trying his best not to think about how today could've turned out so much differently.

"Me too," she whispers as she snuggles into his chest.

"I love you," he tells her as he runs his fingers through her hair.

"Mm… love you, too," she says, before drifting off to sleep.

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's a few days later when Sam is getting off shift and on his way home. It's almost eleven o'clock and he's beyond exhausted. The calls were never-ending today and all he wants to do is crawl into bed with Andy and go to sleep.

She had the day off, so he hasn't talked to her since the quick call they shared during his lunch break, but he's hoping that she's at his place waiting for him. This is the first opportunity they've had for her to actually be at his house when he's not there, so he's not completely sure whether she'll do it or not. He's pretty much decided that if she isn't at his place, he'll just get right back in the truck and drive to her apartment. Even though he's absurdly tired, he just hates spending the night without her. It's probably crazy, but he feels like he never sleeps as well when she isn't wrapped up in his arms at night. Plus, he's had a rough day and she always makes it better.

Five minutes later, he's walking through his front door and when he sees her discarded shoes in the foyer, he can't help but smile at the thought that she used his key and hung out here today.

He's basically itching to see her so he quickly locks up the house and makes his way towards the bedroom, where she's already tucked into bed waiting for him.

"Hey," she greets him as he walks through the door.

He gives her a big smile and climbs onto the bed to kiss her and get his arms around her. "I really like coming home to you in my bed," he tells her as he hovers over her lips.

She grins and presses her lips to his. "How was your day?" She asks as she pulls away.

"Shitty," he replies. "But it's much better now," he adds before he lies back against the pillow and closes his eyes, already moments away from falling asleep.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Sam, you need to get out of here," Andy implores.

"No," he argues as he remains standing right in front of her.

"Sam, _please_ ," she begs.

"Andy, stop. I'm not leaving," he maintains.

"What if it goes off?" She questions as she glances down at the grenade in her hands.

"It's _not_ going to go off," he assures her.

"It _could_ ," she argues.

"If it does… then I need to be right here with you," he tells her.

"You're being an idiot," she responds.

"Maybe," he shrugs. "But I'm not leaving."

She's about to open her mouth to continue arguing about this when the bomb tech walks in and everything she was about to say is suddenly forgotten. After a minute or two, the grenade is disabled but Andy is still tightly gripping it, terrified of letting it go.

"Sam, please… just in case… please just go outside," she begs him.

He puts a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezes it. "Just let go," he tells her.

" _Sam_ ," she pleads as his fingers travel down her arms and land on her hands.

"It's okay… just let go," he encourages her.

She shuts her eyes and bites down on her bottom lip before she eventually frees the grenade's trigger and when it doesn't go off, she's finally able to release the breath she's been holding. As soon as the bomb tech takes the grenade from her, she falls into Sam's arms, which he quickly wraps around her. Neither one of them are sure how long they stand there holding each other, but at some point, she pulls away slightly and looks up at him. She just can't believe him sometimes.

"That was really stupid!" She exclaims as she lightly slaps his chest.

"C'mon, you knew all along that I wasn't going to leave you," he suggests as he grabs her hand.

And yeah, it's true. She would have been surprised if he actually had listened to her and went outside, but it doesn't mean that she _wants_ him to put himself in danger like that.

"Sam, there was no reason for you to stay… there wasn't anything you could do if it had gone off," she reminds him.

"Andy, you're not going to win this argument," he says, giving her this look that she couldn't even begin to explain.

She rolls her eyes at him, but ends up pulling him into another hug. To be honest, she has no idea how she ever would've had the courage to let go of that grenade if he wasn't standing right beside her, telling her it'd be okay.

"I love you," he whispers in his ear.

"Love you, too," she mumbles into his chest.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Sometimes I just really hate that you're a cop," he declares, out of the blue, as they lie in bed that night.

"What?" She asks, a bit taken back and obviously not thrilled with his words.

"I mean, most of the time I love it, but when days like today happen, I just… I worry about you, you know? When you were holding that grenade… God, if something ever happened to you… I don't know what I'd do," he explains.

She gives him a small smile and leans in for a peck on the lips. "I know how you feel," she replies.

"I just can't imagine you not being in my life," he adds as he runs his fingers through her hair. "I can barely remember a time when you weren't in my bed at night… when you weren't riding shotgun in my truck… when you weren't lying on the couch with me after shift… when we weren't patrolling the streets together… I have no idea what I was doing back then," he remarks.

"Me either," she quips with a playful smile.

"I'm serious… I don't know what I would ever do without you," he tells her. And it's true. He gets a pit in his stomach just thinking about it.

"Sam… I feel the same way," she assures him as her smile widens.

"I love you so much," he replies as he strokes her cheek.

"Me too," she agrees with a nod. "So much," she whispers right before she plants a few more kisses on his lips.

==============REWRITTEN=============

So… when I was writing this many months ago, I debated whether I should kill Jerry off, just like the show. Ultimately, I decided against it because I had a few ideas that I wanted to use and Jerry needed to be alive for them to pan out. Although, I think it would have been nice to see Sam and Andy go through all of that _together_ , the grieving process would've negatively impacted a lot of my other storylines and would have consumed the next several chapters. So yeah, in the end, I decided to keep him around

Don't forget to review!


	26. Only One

So, I know this chapter is a bit short, but I kind of like it

=======REWRITTEN=======

"So what's the plan for tonight?" Sam calls to Andy, who is putting the finishing touches on her makeup. It's Saturday night and the two of them are at Sam's getting ready for Traci's bachelorette party and Jerry's bachelor party. Well actually, Sam's been lying on his bed for the past fifteen minutes, watching television, while Andy has changed her outfit twice and spent five minutes debating which shoes to wear.

"Traci wants to go to that club on 31st street," Andy tells him through the crack in the door.

"Spade?" He asks, as he sits up on his bed.

"Yeah… Traci knows the bouncer, so she said we'd be able to get in no problem," Andy replies.

"Okay, just be careful… that's kind of a sketchy part of town," he reminds her.

"I know, I know," she says. "So, you guys are _really_ just playing poker tonight?" She wonders as she fixes her hair.

"Yeah," he responds as he pulls out his phone to check his messages.

"What about strippers? Traci thinks Jerry is gonna have strippers," she comments.

"No strippers," he promises as an amused smile slips from his lips.

"Really?" She counters. "Are you lying to me because you think I'll tell Traci?" She questions as she swipes some mascara on her eyelashes.

"I'm not lying," he assures her with a laugh. "We're just playing poker… definitely no strippers," he adds.

Andy hmms as she shoves her makeup bag back in Sam's drawer and then walks out of the bathroom to find him sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for her.

"Wow," he says as he stands up and walks towards her while his eyes rake over her body. Eventually, he's inches away and able to get his hands on her waist as he continues to admire every inch of her. A grin immediately spreads across her face before she stands on her toes to give him a quick kiss.

"How come you never dress up like this for me?" He asks with a mock pout.

"Maybe because the only place you ever take me is the Penny," she teases.

"Hey, you know I'll take you wherever you want to go," he argues as his hands travel up and down her sides and a smirk plays on his lips.

She gives him a big smile and wraps her arms around his neck. "Well, I like the Penny," she tells him as she hovers over his lips.

Sam grins in response and quickly pulls her closer, so he can get a few kisses out of her.

When they eventually pull away, she smiles up at him and gives him one more quick kiss. "Ready?" She asks, moments later. "Cab should be here any minute," she adds as she glances over at the clock on his nightstand.

"Yeah, let's go," he says as he takes her hand and leads her out the front door.

=======REWRITTEN=======

So… Sam's definitely not on his game tonight.

He's trying really hard to focus, but the constant buzzing of his phone and the lasting images floating through his mind are making it difficult.

Peck seems to think it's funny to continue sending him and Jerry picture after picture of Andy and Traci. In the beginning, he actually enjoyed the pictures. The first couple made him smile with the way that the two of them were dancing and obviously having fun together, but after that, he liked each one less and less.

At first, it wasn't anything _too_ bad - Traci and Andy were still dancing together, but this time there were at least five pairs of eye balls, shamelessly ogling them. Sam definitely didn't love it, but it's not like he's never seen another guy check her out before- he's unfortunately pretty used to it by now. Although, this time he was seeing it from afar, which made him a bit uneasy.

And then, of course, Peck sent a few more. He swears she must have picked those photos on purpose because each one depicted Andy dancing alone while a swarm of guys were just a little bit closer than he'd like them to be. So yeah, Sam wasn't so impressed.

After that, he quickly sucked down another two beers and had almost forgotten about the photos when Peck started sending her next batch. Yeah, these he _really_ didn't love.

The first one wasn't _so_ bad, it was just a picture of Traci on the dancefloor. At first, he didn't even notice Andy, but then he spotted her in the background talking to some random guy, while evidently waiting for drinks at the bar. It was innocent enough, so it wasn't like he was worried or anything. They were just talking and they weren't even standing that close to each other, so yeah, it wasn't a big deal.

Twenty minutes later, Peck sent the second one. This one was a bit more worrisome. Andy was _still_ talking to that same guy and he was grinning like an idiot and she was laughing- like really laughing. So yeah, he didn't particularly love that.

And then maybe fifteen minutes later, the third picture arrived. It's similar to the second one only this time, the guy was touching Andy's arm and Sam's pretty sure that they were standing just a little closer. And that kind of made his blood pressure rise a bit.

Maybe he's being crazy, but it just made him uncomfortable. The fact that she was _still_ talking to him after all that time and that he was touching her and making her laugh like that… that's weird, right?

So now he is once again guzzling another beer and trying to focus on the game. He's doing everything he can to convince himself that this is just Peck messing with him- that all of those photos were probably taken within minutes of each other and she's just trying to make it look like something more, but he's just not completely sure. And the fact that it's been over an hour since the last photo… Sam doesn't know if that's good or bad, but he's leaning more towards bad.

Yeah, he's relatively certain that he's being ridiculous, but he just can't help it. He's desperately trying to focus on the game, but his mind keeps wandering to all of these ridiculous places and he can't make it stop. The night is dragging on and all he really wants is for her to walk through the door and tell him how insane he's being right now.

But, it's only midnight, so he still has at least a couple hours to go before he'll see her. And in the meantime, he's also trying not to lose all of his money.

=======REWRITTEN=======

It's around 2:30 a.m., when the girls stumble in - a complete fit of slurs and giggles. Yeah, they are drunk. _Very_ drunk. And as relieved as he is to see Andy, he's also slightly concerned by just _how_ drunk she is. He's seen her pretty tipsy before, but he can't recall ever seeing her like _this._

It takes them much longer than it should to settle down, but once they do, they join the guys at the table to watch the last few hands. And Andy sits right on his lap, wraps her arms around his neck and gives him a kiss. "Hey," she says with a big grin.

"Hey," he replies. "Have fun?" He asks.

"Yeah," she smiles. "What about you? You winning?" She wonders.

"No," he responds with a shake of his head.

"Oh, that's sweet. You're letting Jerry win because it's his bachelor party?" She asks with a silly smile.

Everyone in the room chuckles at that. "No… been kind of off my game tonight," he divulges.

"Oh, how come?" She asks.

He shrugs and looks down at his cards before exchanging two of them with the deck.

"Aw Swarek… was I distracting you with all those photos?" Gail asks from the other side of the table, as a giant grin plays on her lips.

"What photos?" Andy wonders as she glances over at Gail and then back to Sam.

Sam grabs his phone off the table and then hands it to her, so she can see for herself. Because the thing is, he kind of wants to see her reaction. And as she starts to scroll through the messages, her smile slowly disappears as she sees exactly what Gail sent him. She's just about to chastise her, when Gail opens her mouth.

"You know Swarek, you probably shouldn't let your girlfriend out of the house looking like that… we were fighting the guys off with a stick," Peck laughs, obviously amused with herself.

Sam hmms while he pretends to shuffle his cards around in his hand.

"Gail, what is _wrong_ with you?" Andy scolds her. "She's exaggerating," Andy assures him as she turns back to meet his eyes.

"Oh c'mon Andy, don't be so modest. You look hot tonight. And people were _noticing_ ," Gail retorts with a smirk and a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"They were _not_ ," Andy says with a roll of her eyes.

"So you seriously didn't see all of those guys in the club drooling all over you?" Gail continues. And Sam doesn't miss the glare Andy is giving her, essentially trying to get her to shut up. And honestly, it makes him even more uneasy.

"She's exaggerating," she tells Sam again.

He gives her a small nod and a smile and then pushes some hair out of her face. "Okay," he says. And God, he really wishes he could believe her.

But before he can think about it anymore, she leans in and gives him a kiss, allowing it to last much longer than appropriate. "Can we go home soon?" She asks him when they pull away.

"Yeah," he agrees.

Because, honestly, he's lost more than enough money for tonight.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"She really _was_ exaggerating," Andy assures him as they walk through Sam's front door. The cab ride home was unusually quiet and she has a feeling that maybe he's not so pleased with the night's events.

"I'm guessing she probably wasn't," Sam replies, ensuring that his tone is cool and composed. He really doesn't want to seem like the jealous fool he feels like right now.

"I just can't believe she sent you _those_ pictures," Andy muses, seemingly ignoring his last comment. "It's like she was doing it on purpose," she adds.

"Well, it was probably difficult to find a picture where guys _weren't_ draped all over you," he tells her. And yeah, he regrets it the second it leaves his mouth. So much for not sounding jealous…

"Sam…"

He immediately closes his eyes, pinches the bridge of his nose and blow out a breath. "I'm sorry, okay? I just really don't love the idea of guys trying to have sex with my girlfriend all night," he tells her.

"Hmm…" she says as she walks towards him and wraps her arms around his neck. "Well… even if those guys _were_ trying to have sex with me all night, you're the only one who actually _gets_ to have sex with me all night," she flirts as she allows her other hand to run down his chest.

"Still," he argues, trying to be stubborn.

"Sam, c'mon… _You_ are the only person I want to have sex with tonight… youare the only person I want to have sex with _every_ night," she assures him. "I don't want anyone else, but you, to touch me _ever_ again," she tells him. "Just you," she repeats.

And yeah, it's a bit surprising and maybe she doesn't mean it like _that_ … maybe she's just drunk, but still… how permanent it sounds… it's one of the best things he's ever heard.

"I'm good with that," he tells her as he wraps his arms around her.

"Yeah?" She asks with a playful smile.

"Yeah," he nods. "I'm _really_ good with that," he promises.

"Good," she grins before she leans in for a kiss. And when she eventually pulls away, she still has this silly smile on her face. "You're so hot when you're jealous," she comments.

"I _wasn't_ jealous," he says with a roll of his eyes, even though he knows it's not even the least bit true.

"You were a _little_ jealous," she argues with a smirk and a twinkle in her eyes.

"Fine, maybe a _little_ ," he concedes as his hands land on her waist. "What was the deal with that guy anyway?" He asks.

"Oh!" She says with a laugh. "We went to high school together… he's a really good guy… we were just catching up," she explains with a shrug.

"Ah," he replies, seemingly not amused.

"And… he's gay," she says with a silly grin.

"Yeah, you could've led with that, you know," he tells her with a roll of his eyes.

"I know," she says with a chuckle as she allows her fingers to slowly graze down his shoulders. "But like I said… you're hot when you're jealous," she flirts.

He rolls his eyes at her again, but the hint of a smile on his lips is giving him away.

"So… take me to bed?" She requests, a moment later, with a tilt of her head and a big grin.

"Okay," he agrees before he picks her up and carries her to his bedroom.

It's maybe five minutes later that he's got her completely naked and lying in the sheets. And once he does, he begins to replay her earlier words.

As his hands explore every familiar curve of her body, he imagines being the only one to ever touch her like this. And as his eyes rake over every inch of her, he imagines being the only one to ever see her this way.

He's never really _let_ himself think like this before, but as he considers everything she said and the possibility of it ringing true, he can't help but hope that it does.

He wants to be the only one to hear her breathy gasps in his ears. He wants to be the only one to feel her smooth legs wrapped around him. He wants to be the only one who leaves marks on her neck. He wants to be the only one to take her over the edge.

Yeah, he really does want that.

And shit, it's a little bit terrifying.

=======REWRITTEN=======

Well… what did you think?

I actually took a chapter I had originally written for Pretend, changed some stuff around and added some extra scenes and this is what I got. And I'm _pretty_ happy with it, if I do say so myself. Hope you are too!


	27. Vacation

So, I know I said I was going to try and post this last weekend, but obviously that didn't happen. For some reason, I just couldn't get this the way I wanted… Honestly, I still haven't, but I've been editing it for so long that I just had to stop. So, hopefully, it doesn't suck lol.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Ugh, why did they have to have a destination wedding?" Sam groans as he attempts to zip up his luggage.

"Uh because it's fun and adventurous and memorable and romantic," Andy lists as she bounces over to him.

"It's such a hassle," Sam complains. "What's wrong with getting married right here?" He asks.

"C'mon, stop being such a grump," she teases. "It'll be fun," she insists.

"Ugh," Sam growls as he still can't get the zipper to close.

"Here, let me help," Andy offers as she pulls both sides of the suitcase together, so Sam can easily zip it up.

"Thanks," he tells her as he stands up and goes to toss his suitcase on the bed.

"You're really not even a _little_ bit excited?" She wonders as she waltzes over to him and wraps her arms around his neck. "Your best friend and my best friend are getting married… and you're acting like you're about to have a root canal," she tells him.

"Sorry," he apologizes as his hands sit on her waist.

"What's bothering you?" She questions.

"Nothing, I just… I just hate flying," he admits.

"Sam, nobody _likes_ flying," she remarks.

"I know, I just _really_ don't like it," he tells her.

"Wait… are you _afraid_ of flying?" She asks with a teasing smile.

"No!" He argues.

"Don't worry, I'll hold your hand," she grins.

"I'm _not_ afraid," he counters. "I just hate flying… the long lines, the ridiculous rules about what you're not allowed to pack, the intrusive security checks, the crammed seating, the expensive snacks… oh and then there's the basic guarantee that there will be at least one screaming baby… so yeah, I just don't like it," he adds.

"Okay… wow," she comments with an amused laugh. "But it's just four hours," she reminds him. "And then we'll get five whole days to enjoy Jamaica together," she reminds him with a smile.

"Yeah… yeah, I know," he agrees.

"And you know… we've never been on a vacation together, so you should really try to be more enthusiastic," she tells him.

"Well, I wouldn't really call this a vacation," he retorts.

"Hm… then I guess you still owe me one," she quips with a grin.

He lets out a laugh and gives her hip a gentle pinch. "Guess so," he replies before leaning in for a kiss.

=======REWRITTEN=======

They've been in the air for about twenty minutes and he's been pretty quiet ever since they got in their seats. She can practically feel the tension radiating from his body and all she wants to do is get him to relax. She's already bought him two drinks, but either they haven't kicked in yet or he's just _really_ tense.

So, she buys him another one and as he drinks it, she interlocks their fingers and strokes the back of his hand with her thumb. The thing is, it's still not calming him down.

So, that's when she gets this idea. And the second it pops into her head, she knows it's ridiculous, but the two drinks _she's_ consumed must have kicked in because she doesn't care half as much as she should.

"Hey, I'm going to the bathroom," she tells him as she unbuckles her seatbelt.

"Okay," he replies as he puts his drink in the cup holder.

"Meet me in there in two minutes," she whispers.

"What?" He asks as he turns to face her.

"Wait a couple minutes and meet me back there," she repeats, a little more suggestively.

"Are you serious?" He questions with a quirked eyebrow.

"C'mon, it'll be fun," she tells him with a seductive smile as she squeezes his hand.

"You're crazy," he tells her with a bit of a chuckle.

"Just meet me back there," she urges before she sneaks by him and makes her way towards the back. Once she gets inside the bathroom, she passes the time by fixing her hair in the mirror and then just leans against the sink and waits. She's not sure if he's actually going to show, but she's hoping that the three drinks he's consumed in the past forty five minutes will lower his inhibitions just enough so he'll actually do it.

Just as she checks her watch to see that it's been over five minutes, she hears a knock on the door and grins. She quickly opens it to find him standing in front of her with this funny look on his face. She's pretty sure that he's a little bit shocked to have actually gone through with this.

She smiles at him and shuffles around so he can get inside before closing the door and locking it.

"What do you plan on doing in here?" He questions as her hands roam his chest.

"Just thought we could have a little fun," she shrugs.

"I think it's a bit crammed for the kind of fun you're thinking of," he retorts as he glances around the small space.

"I'm sure we'll figure something out," she says with a smile as she starts to unbuckle his belt.

"You're serious?" He asks as his eyes widen with surprise.

"Of course," she grins. "C'mon, don't tell me you've never wanted to join the mile high club," she adds.

"Have I ever wanted to have sex in a space smaller than my closet while flying hundreds of miles per hour? No, that's never really been on my bucket list," he tells her.

She looks up at him and laughs while unzipping his jeans and pushing them down his legs. "I just thought I could try to relax you a little bit," she tells him as her fingers start to barely graze his cock, which is still tucked into his boxers.

"I'm plenty relaxed," he argues.

"Oh really?" She asks with a quirked eyebrow.

He rolls his eyes at her. "I told you I don't like flying," he reminds her.

"I know… that's why I'm trying to make it more enjoyable for you," she replies. "Just go with it," she adds with a smile.

"You're insane," he counters with a laugh.

"Don't pretend you don't want to… you're the one who came back here and let me take your pants off," she points out.

He blows out a breath as he eyes her for a moment. "Okay, but quick… this is definitely not safe," he tells her as he takes another quick look around.

"I knew you'd come around," she grins before she pulls his boxers down his legs and gets to work.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Sam, this room is _really_ nice," Andy declares as she glances around. When they looked at the pictures online last month, they definitely didn't look like this. There's a big Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom and the room has its' own private balcony, which overlooks the ocean.

"Yeah well, I may have called and upgraded the room," he admits with a shrug.

"You _what_?" She asks, completely stunned.

"I got us a better room," he explains.

"But we agreed that we'd split the cost of the trip… that I'd pay for the flight and you'd get the hotel and we'd share the meals and stuff… this must have cost _way_ more than what I spent on the tickets," she replies.

"Yeah, well… I probably should've taken you on a vacation a while ago," he shrugs, as if none of this is a big deal.

She grins at him and throws her arms around his neck. "I thought this didn't count as a vacation," she teases.

"Well, for the amount of money I spent on this room, it's gonna have to count," he jokes.

"You really didn't have to do this," she tells him as she runs her fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

"I wanted to," he replies.

"I would've been more than happy with our other room," she continues.

"I know," he assures her. "But like I said… I wanted to," he adds.

"You're really amazing, you know that?" She asks with a big smile.

"I think you may have mentioned it before," he quips.

"I love you," she tells him.

"Love you, too," he responds before pulling her in for a kiss.

"You know… I think we have some time before we have to go meet everybody," she says as she suggestively wiggles her eyebrows.

"Oh yeah?" He chuckles.

"Yeah," she nods as she runs her hands down her body and then begins to unbuckle his belt.

"You are insatiable today," he chuckles.

" _Well_ … we're on vacation," she explains. "This is what I'm like when I'm on vacation," she adds with a smile.

"Is that so?" He asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"Mhm," she nods.

"Well, then I guess I should probably take you on more vacations," he replies as his fingers graze under her shirt.

"Couldn't hurt," she grins.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"So… how are you?" Andy asks Traci as the two of them are getting ready for the rehearsal dinner in Traci's room.

"Amazing," Traci says, practically glowing with delight.

"No cold feet?" Andy inquires.

"None," Traci assures her with a shake of her head. "I know he's the person I'm supposed to be with," she adds.

Andy nods as she watches Traci swipe some blush across her cheeks. "So um… _how_ do you know?" Andy wonders.

"What?" Traci asks as she turns to face Andy.

"How did you know that you wanted to marry him? That he's the right person?" Andy clarifies.

"Hmm…" Traci begins as she sits on the edge of her bed and ponders the question for a moment. "I don't know… it's hard to explain," Traci tells her.

"Try," Andy urges.

"Well, I guess… I mean …he's just different from every other guy I've been with… with those guys, I just never really liked the person I was when I was with them… they would always bring out my anxiety and insecurity, but Jerry… I've always been able to just be myself around him… and even more than that, he makes me feel like… like that's enough, you know?" She asks. "I know that he truly loves me the way I am and he doesn't expect me to be anything else… and he just makes me happy in this way that I've never been before… it's like… even though things between us aren't always easy… they also kind of are… am I making any sense?" She wonders.

"Yeah… yeah, you are," Andy tells her, while considering her relationship with Sam.

"It's hard to put into words, but it just feels right," she adds.

"I'm really happy for you, Trace," she says with a genuine smile.

"Thanks," she says with a grin before she refocuses on applying her makeup. The room falls quiet for several seconds before Traci catches a glimpse of Andy in the mirror. She can clearly see that her best friend is lost in thought and she's pretty sure she knows exactly what's on her mind. "Soo…" she begins as she swipes some mascara on her lashes. "What about you and Swarek?" She inquires.

"Huh?" Andy replies, snapping out of her thoughts. "What about us?"

"You think you might do this someday?" She clarifies as she gestures around the room.

"Umm… I… I don't know," Andy says with a shrug.

"But you want to, right?" Traci asks. "You _did_ say you wanted to end up with him," she reminds her.

"Yeah, I did," Andy admits as she nervously nibbles on her lip.

"Has something changed?" Traci wonders.

"No," Andy quickly replies with a shake of her head. "I mean… I can't imagine being with anyone else, but…" she hesitates. "I don't know, it's just… terrifying," she continues.

"I know," Traci responds.

"And I really don't want to get my hopes up," Andy explains.

"What do you mean?" Traci asks.

"It's been two and a half years and… and we're really happy and yeah, someday I want it to happen, but… I don't know how he feels about it or how he'll feel in a year or two… I don't want to expect it and… and then be wrong," she clarifies.

"Andy, c'mon… anyone with eyes can see how Swarek feels about you… his whole face lights up whenever you walk in the room," she assures her.

Andy smiles briefly at the comment, but is quickly taken back to reality. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean he wants to end up together," she retorts. "Maybe in six months or a year or two years, he'll feel completely different," she reasons. "I mean, he's never done the long-term, serious relationship thing before… he's used to casual sex and the thrill of being undercover… maybe he'll get bored," she continues.

"Andy, it's been over two years… if he's not bored by now, I think you're probably good," she assures her.

"Maybe," Andy shrugs. "But still… right now, we're in a really good place and… and I'm happier than I've ever been," she declares. "So, that's what I want to focus on… the present… I don't want to waste time worrying about what may or may not happen in the future," she explains.

"Fair enough," Traci replies. "But for what it's worth, I'd be pretty surprised if he didn't feel the same way," she offers.

A smile momentarily appears on Andy's lips as she lets herself hopes that Traci is right about Sam. But, ultimately, she forces herself not to dwell on it.

She can't get sucked down this rabbit hole.

It would just hurt too much.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"So… you nervous?" Sam inquires as he and Jerry are down at the hotel bar, waiting for Traci and Andy to meet them there.

"Nope," Jerry responds with a shake of his head.

"Really?" Sam asks, a bit surprised, as he remembers Jerry's last wedding. Yeah, to say that he was a nervous wreck would be an understatement.

"She's the one, Sammy," Jerry tells him confidently.

Sam almost slips up and reminds him that he said the same thing before his last wedding, but he catches himself just in time. The truth is, even he knows this is different.

"Well, I'm happy for you, brother," Sam says as he tips his drink in the air.

"Thanks man," Jerry replies as he, too, raises his glass. They each take a large sip and then place their glasses back on the bar before glancing around to see if the girls have come down yet. "So you think you and McNally will be doing this soon?" Jerry asks once they've each thoroughly scanned the area.

"What?" Sam asks, a bit stunned.

"C'mon Sammy, you've been together a while now and well… I've never seen you like this before," he remarks. "Ever since you got together… you've just… you've been happy… _really_ happy," he continues. "I mean… before McNally, you were never even remotely serious about a woman and now… it's like… it's like when she's in the room, you don't see anybody else," he adds. "You're obviously really serious about her."

"Of course I'm serious about her," he confirms. "But… it's way too soon to think about marriage," he reasons. Sure, he briefly entertained the idea when Jerry was first planning to propose to Traci, but that's all it ever was… a passing thought. It's just too early to be considering it in any sort of serious way.

Truthfully, he just really can't let himself go there right now.

Because, the thing is, he _does_ want to marry her someday.

But if he lets himself start thinking about it and imagining it and hoping for it… it'll only be that much more devastating if it doesn't happen.

"Okay Sammy," Jerry says as he throws his hands up in the air, defensively. "Just… what you guys have… it's not easy to find, you know?" He comments. "Don't take it for granted," he advises.

"I know… I won't," Sam assures him.

"Plus… you're not getting any younger," Jerry teases. "That biological clock is gonna start ticking," he quips.

"Funny," Sam retorts, sarcastically, as he rolls his eyes at his friend.

Jerry is just about to say something else when Traci interrupts by sliding an arm around his neck and pulling him into a quick kiss.

"Hey," Andy greets Sam after she waltzes over to him.

"Hey," he grins as he turns on the bar stool so he's facing her. Her smile widens as she gets in between his legs and wraps her arms around his neck while his eyes are raking up and down her body. "You look gorgeous," he compliments as his hands land on her waist.

"Thanks," she says with a smile before she leans in and gives him a few chaste kisses. When she eventually takes half a step back, she is finally able to get a good look at him. "You look hot," she quips with a playful grin.

He chuckles at her words before giving her another kiss. And maybe he lets it last a couple seconds longer this time.

"You know… it's really saying something when you two are more nauseating than the bride and groom," Traci teases.

They both turn towards Jerry and Traci, who both have shit-eating grins on their faces.

Andy is rolling her eyes at her best friend while Sam has a strange expression on his face- somewhere between confused, embarrassed and just a touch annoyed.

Both Jerry and Traci laugh at their expressions, but thankfully Traci changes the subject before Jerry has a chance to add on. "Everybody ready?" She wonders.

"Yeah," they each confirm.

"Let's go."

=======REWRITTEN=======

"See, wasn't it worth it?" Andy asks Sam, the next night, as she wraps her arms around his neck and smiles up at him while they start to dance.

"Was what worth it?" He inquires.

"The invasive security check. The lack of leg room. The potential of getting stuck behind a screaming baby," she lists, mimicking the rant he went on days earlier.

"Yeah, I guess," he says with a playful roll of his eyes. "I mean, the flight wasn't _all_ bad," he says with a big smirk and a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Now it's her turn to roll her eyes. Although, she's kind of giving herself away with the fact that she's unable to tame down the smile on her face.

"And it has been nice to get away with you for a few days," he continues.

"Yeah, it has," she agrees, as the smile on her face widens.

"And I _definitely_ don't mind seeing you in this dress," he adds as he takes another look at her.

She grins at him and pulls his head down to give him a kiss. When they eventually pull away, they continue to sway with the music.

"They look happy, don't they?" Andy comments as she gazes over at Jerry and Traci, who are dancing several feet away.

"Yeah, they do," Sam agrees.

Andy rests her head against Sam's shoulder and he tightens his grip on her waist as they continue to dance for another couple minutes.

Soon, the song is over and Andy is grabbing Sam's hand and pulling him over to the bar.

"I think we should test out the Jacuzzi when we get back to the room tonight," she tells him with a seductive smile, as they wait in line to get some drinks.

"Hm… we could do that," he decides as a smirk plays on his lips.

"Maybe we could sneak away right now," she suggests with a playful twinkle in her eye.

"You are insatiable today," he laughs.

"We're on vacation," she points out. "This is what I'm like when I'm on vacation," she explains.

"Is that so?" He asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"Mhm," she nods as she steps closer to him and runs her hands up his chest.

"Well, then I guess I should probably take you on more vacations," he says, beaming down at her.

"Couldn't hurt," she quips with a teasing smile.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Ugh, I don't want to leave," Andy whines as she tosses her bathing suits into her luggage. "Can't we stay just a _little_ bit longer?" She pleads.

"Yeah, I'm sure Frank will be okay with us missing a few extra days," he replies, sarcastically.

Andy starts to pout as she blows out a breath and dramatically flops down on the bed. "I'm not ready to go," she argues.

Sam lets out a laugh and crawls on top of her. "Well… maybe we uh… maybe we lost our passports," he muses with a silly smile. "Then we'd _have_ to stay," he adds as he hovers over her. "We'd have no choice."

"Ooh I like it," she grins as her hands land on his waist.

"Yeah, I mean, it'd probably take a week or two to sort out the paperwork," he continues.

"At least," she agrees.

"We could probably do the rest of the stuff on your list," he decides, referring to the three page list she made of everything she wanted to do while they were in Jamaica.

"Yeah, there's still a lot of stuff on there that we never did," she comments.

"Well, whose fault is that?" He teases.

"What?" She asks with faux offense. "Are you saying it's _my_ fault?" She adds, putting a hand to her chest, feigning shock.

"Yes, I am," he confirms.

"How so?" She questions.

"Well… I was all set to go zip-lining and swim with dolphins and take a food tour and ride horses in the ocean, but _someone_ wouldn't let me out of bed," he reminds her while wearing an amused smile.

She giggles as she recalls the mornings that he's referencing, where they were supposed to get up early to do some activity she had planned, but instead she'd roll on top of him, wanting sex. And of course, they'd get pretty carried away and end up spending an extra hour or two in bed. So yeah, she _may_ be at fault for why they didn't do everything on her list, but she's pretty okay with it.

"Okay, okay," she concedes. "But, as I recall, you weren't complaining," she reminds him.

"No, I definitely wasn't," he agrees with a grin before he leans in and gives her a kiss.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"So… did you have fun?" She asks Sam as she interlocks their fingers, while they are waiting for the plane to take off.

He turns his head and smiles at her. "Yeah, I did," he confirms before pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Good," she replies, once they pull away.

"In fact, I think we should take another one soon," he tells her.

"Oh yeah?" She grins. "Where to?" She wonders.

"Anywhere you want to go," he replies.

"Anywhere, huh?" She asks, still beaming at him.

"Yep," he confirms.

"Even if we have to fly to get there?" She inquires.

He lets out a laugh before meeting her eyes. "Well… it turns out that flying isn't so bad as long as you're in the seat next to me," he tells her.

She breaks out in a grin as she lovingly squeezes his hand. "So, you really want to take another vacation… just us?" She asks.

He nods his head and smiles down at her. "Can't wait."

=======REWRITTEN=======

Well, there you go…

I hope you liked it.

I had a lot more that I wanted to do for their vacation, but I just couldn't make it work, so maybe I'll do another vacation chapter and add it in there.

I promise there won't be such a long wait in between the next few updates because I already have those chapters completely written. This one just had a few gaps that I had to fill in and that's why it took so much longer. Anyway, I'll post the next chapter soon.

Please review!


	28. Flirtation

So, I know I said I would be posting this chapter quickly, but I was having trouble motivating myself to edit it. And it didn't help that you guys have been kind of slacking on your reviews lately =P.

Is everyone over this story or just busy? I know it's a long one, so maybe it's getting boring? If so, just let me know and I'll skip over all the other chapters I've written and just post the last couple so it'll be finished. Otherwise, let me know that you're still reading, would ya? :)

Anyways, this chapter is mostly a filler chapter, so it's probably not the best one to be posting when I'm asking everyone if they're still into this story, but it's just what was next so what can you do? Personally, I think the next one is better. BUT I think this one has some good stuff in it as well. AND it's extra long, so that's a plus… I think? Lol.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Ugh," Andy groans under her breath as she glances across the barn and notices Marlo talking to Sam. It's the way that she's looking at him that caused that reaction. She's just got this huge grin on her face and she's so obviously hanging onto his every word… it just makes her sick.

"What?" Traci inquires as she pours herself a cup of coffee.

"Nothing," Andy replies, trying to tear her eyes off of Sam and Marlo. The longer she watches the more uncomfortable she becomes. It's seriously cringe-worthy.

"You got something against Cruz?" Traci questions.

"No, I just… I don't know… she's _always_ flirting with Sam," she admits. "It's just… annoying."

"Oh come on, you're not actually jealous, are you?" Traci asks.

"No!" Andy argues. "Like I said… it just annoys me… like… can't she take a hint?" She adds.

"Well… do you _really_ think Sam is actually dropping any hints?" Traci wonders. "He probably barely realizes she's doing it," she reasons.

"Ugh," Andy groans again. "But still, it's not like he's really participating… shouldn't that clue her in?" She asks.

"Oh relax, this is her second week on the job… eventually, she'll realize that he's taken," Traci assures her.

Andy rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her coffee as she tries to come up with a way to change the subject.

"I can't believe this actually bothers you," Traci muses, apparently not willing to let the conversation die. "Swarek is completely crazy about you… it's not like you have anything to worry about."

"I know!" Andy maintains. "I'm not _worried_ ," she adds. "I just don't love when other women are flirting with my boyfriend all day long," she explains. "How would _you_ feel if she was doing that to Jerry?"

"Well, we're married so I don't have that problem." Traci grins as she wiggles her ring finger in the air. "Maybe you should try it," she teases.

Andy rolls her eyes at her best friend as she attempts to bite back a smile. "We're gonna be late for parade," Andy tells her, purposefully changing the subject.

"Okay, okay, let's go," Traci agrees with a laugh, obviously taking the hint.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Hey," Andy greets Sam in the middle of the barn, almost seven hours into their shift. She was just about to start her paperwork when she noticed Sam and Marlo dropping a kid off in booking and decided to go say hi.

Yeah, this morning, when she found out they were partnered together… she was not pleased, to say the least.

"Hey," he replies with a big smile.

"You heading back out there or are you done patrolling for the day?" She wonders.

"We're done," he tells her. "It was pretty crazy today… we have lots of paperwork to do," he coveys.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, I don't know what it was, but we came across six different people with open warrants today," he relays. "We ran into one of them at the drive-through and I ended up chasing him around the parking lot for a good couple minutes," he adds with a laugh.

"Did you get him?" She asks.

"Of course," he says with a bright smile and that cocky tone of his.

Andy smiles up at him and is juts about to reply when she notices Marlo waltzing over to them.

"Hey, that guy with the child support warrant is booked," she tells Sam.

"Okay, thanks," he replies.

"That was some tackle out there… _very_ impressive," she compliments as she flashes him a flirtatious smirk. And yeah, Andy immediately wants to vomit.

"Ha yeah, thanks," Sam says with a chuckle.

"Well, I'm gonna grab some coffee and then we can start on our paperwork?" She suggests.

"Yeah, sure," he agrees.

"You want a cup?" She offers. "Black, one sugar, right?" She adds.

"Yeah, that'd be great, thanks Cruz," he replies with a smile. Marlo smiles and nods in response and then walks towards the kitchen.

And once again, Andy is feeling sick. Seriously, she already knows his coffee order?

"God, could she _be_ any more obvious?" Andy declares once Marlo is out of earshot.

"What?" Sam asks, as he turns back towards her.

"She's flirting with you," Andy clarifies. "Like _shamelessly_ flirting."

"No, she's not," Sam says with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Uh, _yes_ she is," Andy retorts.

"She's just being nice," he replies.

"Oh Sam, what an _amazing_ tackle, you're sooooo impressive," Andy imitates as she excessively bats her eyelashes.

"Oh come on," he says with a roll of his eyes.

"Sam, _trust_ me, she was flirting with you," Andy insists.

Sam lets out a sigh and eyes her, skeptically, for a moment, as he tries to recall all of his prior interactions with Marlo, wondering if Andy could be right. And yeah, now that he thinks about it… she just might be. "She probably just doesn't realize we're together," he shrugs.

"Well, I mean, you _could_ do something about that," she hints, apparently unwilling to let this go.

"And what would that be?" Sam asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"You _could_ tell her that we're together," she explains.

"That's kind of awkward, isn't it? I'm sure she'll figure it out," he replies.

"It's like you actually _enjoy_ that she's flirting with you," she accuses.

"Andy, c'mon, that's ridiculous." he argues.

" _Is_ it?" She challenges.

"Uh _yes_ ," he replies as his hand cups her jaw so she can't look away. "You know I have no interest in Marlo," he adds as he tries to reassure her with his eyes.

"I know," she grumbles. "But… I mean… you got pissed when Luke was flirting with me," she points out.

"Yeah, and you pointed out that you still had to work with him and it would make things awkward to confront him," Sam retorts.

"Ugh. Fine," Andy huffs before she walks away to go start her paperwork, leaving Sam to watch her go.

And yeah, he's a bit confused.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Hey," Sam greets her as he walks into the women's locker room to find her.

"Hey," she replies with a small smile as he makes his way over to her. "Listen, I'm sorry about earlier," she tells him after she shuts her locker and turns towards him. "I know I was being crazy," she adds.

"Yeah, you were," he says with a smile as he pushes her hair behind her ear. "But you really don't have to worry about anyone else, okay? I love you… you know that, right?" He assures her.

"Yeah," she nods. "And I trust you, I really do… I'm just… I'm never gonna like it when other women are flirting with you like that," she admits.

"That's understandable," he says with a chuckle.

She playfully rolls her eyes before going to grab her bag off the bench. "Ready?" She asks.

"Yeah," he confirms before grabbing her hand. "You wanna grab a drink?" He questions.

"Definitely."

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's about fifteen minutes later that Sam is leaning against the bar, waiting for his drinks when Marlo saddles up right next to him.

"Hey," she greets him with a friendly smile.

"Hey," he replies with a nod.

"That was some shift today… got six open warrants taken care of… pretty good for one afternoon," she muses.

"Yeah," he agrees.

"It was really great working with you," she tells him as a smile continues to grace her lips. "It seems like we work pretty well together," she adds.

"Uh, yeah," he says with another nod as he glances over towards the bartender, trying to gauge how much longer he'll have to wait for his drinks.

"I wouldn't mind doing it again some time," she tells him, trying to refocus his attention towards her.

"Sure," Sam tells her, nonchalantly, as his drinks are finally placed in front of him. He quickly grabs the tray of drinks and turns around to walk back to their table when he spots Andy eyeing them from across the room. "Well, I'll see you later, Marlo," Sam offers as he briefly glances back at her.

"I'll walk with you," Marlo offers as she stands up beside him.

"Uh okay," Sam replies before he makes his way over to his table and places the tray of drinks down on top of it.

"Hey guys," Marlo greets Andy, Traci, Jerry and Oliver.

They all say hello as Sam looks over at Andy and immediately sees the uneasiness in her expression. He tries to give her a reassuring smile, but she's not paying attention, so he picks up her beer and goes to stand beside her. When she finally meets his eyes, he places her beer on the table in front of her, slips his arm around her and kisses the top of her head as his hand travels down her back. Andy lifts her chin to look up at him and he takes the opportunity to plant a chaste kiss on her lips before pulling back and exchanging a smile.

When he eventually chances a look at Marlo, he can see the surprise in her eyes. Yeah, she definitely didn't know they were together.

"Well, I better get going," she tells them, suddenly. "See you guys tomorrow," she says with an awkward wave before she walks off.

Sam returns his attention to Andy and leans in close to whisper in her ear. "Happy?" He teases.

A silly smile appears on her lips as she looks up at him. "Pretty much, yeah," she says with a laugh.

He chuckles at that and gently pinches her hip in response. "You're hot when you're jealous," he tells her, mimicking her words from a couple months ago.

She rolls her eyes, but is unable to bite back a laugh.

"Love you," he tells her, seriously.

"Love you, too," she grins.

==========REWRITTEN==========

"I don't know why you keep asking, I've already told you I'm not doing it," Sam reminds her as he stands in the kitchen, pouring them each a cup of coffee.

"Come on, _please_ ," Andy begs as she comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his waist. "I'll make it worth your while," she adds, suggestively, as she stands on her toes and kisses his neck.

"Hmm… good try, but nope, sorry," he declines before turning in her grasp, so he can face her.

"I really think you'll like it," she tells him with a playful smile, not for the first time.

"Yeah, you've mentioned that," he quips with a roll of his eyes.

"We don't even need to go to a class, we could do it right here. Just you and me," she compromises.

"No thanks," he replies.

"Please? Just this once?" She implores.

"Nope," he refuses.

"Hmph," she pouts as her arms drop to her sides and she takes a step back from him, in protest.

"Oh c'mon, don't mope," he teases as he pulls her back towards him. "You knew I wasn't going to say yes," he adds.

"Well, a girl can hope," she retorts.

"You've been asking me to take a yoga class with you for the past seven months and every time, I say no, but this morning was gonna be different?" He asks, his eyes glittering with amusement.

"I wish you'd just give it a try," she argues.

"Andy, c'mon… it's just not my thing… I'd get bored," he reasons.

"No you wouldn't, you'd be _relaxed_ ," she maintains.

"Sorry, it's not gonna happen," he apologizes as he runs his hands up and down her arms as if he's consoling her.

Andy eyes him for a moment as she considers how she's going to get him to give in on this. She's not sure why, but she's determined this morning. Today is the day she's going to get Sam to do yoga.

And surprisingly, it only takes a second before she starts to formulate a plan.

"What if it was _naked_ yoga?" She wonders with a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"What?" He asks as he quirks an eyebrow, seemingly curious.

"Naked yoga… I'm thinking you'd find that more… stimulating," she smirks.

"Naked yoga? That's a thing?" He inquires, incredulously.

"Yep," she confirms.

"Seriously? They have naked yoga classes?" He questions, obviously a bit skeptical.

"Actually, yes," she informs him with a good-natured smile.

"For woman _and_ men?" He probes. "Together?"

"Yep," she nods.

"And you've _done_ this?" He wonders, obviously not thrilled with the idea of her being naked in front of a room full of strange men.

She can't help but laugh at the face he's making and gives his shoulder a consoling squeeze. "Don't worry, I've never done it," she assures him. " _You're_ the only one allowed to see me naked," she adds with an affectionate smile.

Relief instantly flashes in his eyes before he smiles at her in return. "So… then why did you ask me to go to a naked yoga class with you?" He inquires.

"Not a class," she corrects with a shake of her head. "We could do it right here… just the two of us… _completely_ naked," she explains, seductively.

"And how long would we do this for?" He questions.

And yeah, she's desperately trying to maintain her poker face and not blow the whole thing by laughing hysterically. It's just that she can already tell that he's actually considering this and yeah, it's funny.

Honestly, she's kind of ashamed that taking this approach didn't occur to her months ago.

"Well, for your first time, I'd say thirty minutes," she replies.

"How about ten?" He negotiates.

Again, she's trying to not to laugh out loud. "Twenty," she counters.

"How do you expect me to do yoga for twenty minutes while you're naked and right next to me?" He wonders.

"I really will make it worth your while," she promises with a big smile.

"Make it fifteen and I'll do it," he decides.

"Deal," she says with a grin.

He can't help but roll his eyes at himself as he takes a sip of his coffee. Meanwhile, she couldn't keep the smile off her face if she tried. She's just extremely proud of herself right now. She's been trying to get Sam to do yoga forever and the fact that he's finally agreed is nothing short of a miracle. Although, she's honestly kind of ashamed that she didn't think of this approach months ago.

"I'll be right back," she declares before running off to Sam's bedroom.

It's less than three minutes later that she's walking back into the room wearing nothing but a lavender robe that ends several inches above her knees and is made from some sort of imitation silk fabric.

"Pretty sure I was promised nudity," he quips as she enters the room.

"I know," she replies with a laugh.

"So… that means you're supposed to be naked," he continues.

She smiles as she moves closer to him. "Well, I'm naked under this," she teases as she stops just inches from where he's leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, this will have to go," he informs her as he starts to untie her robe.

"You first," she retorts as she stops him from completely removing the robe.

He playfully rolls his eyes and lets out a huff before lifting his t-shirt over his head and throwing it on the kitchen chair. Next, he pushes his boxers down his legs and kicks them off before picking them up and placing them on top of his t-shirt.

"Happy?" He asks with a silly hand gesture and a smirk playing on his lips.

"Definitely," she says with a grin as she lets her eyes and hands wander.

"Now your turn," he tells her as he swiftly unties her robe and slips it off her body, allowing his fingers to trace her curves as he slowly drinks her in. Even after all this time, the sight of her like this still makes him a bit breathless.

Andy watches him as he eyes her body and she can't help but smile. She'll never tire of the way Sam looks at her. She's never had anyone look at her the way he does and she knows that she'll never get enough of it. It used to make her self-conscious when guys traced every inch of her body like Sam is now, but when he does it, he has this way of somehow making her feel like she is completely perfect just the way she is.

"You know… we could just skip yoga and I could take you upstairs," he suggests with that unbelievably sexy bedroom voice of his.

And to be honest, she's pretty tempted, but she finally got him to agree to do yoga with her and there's no way she's going to let him off the hook now.

"Fifteen minutes of yoga and _then_ you can take me upstairs," she promises.

"Okay, let's get this over with," he groans.

She immediately lets out a giggle before grabbing his hand and pulling him to the living room.

"Okay, first we need to stretch," she says as she lifts her arms in the air and starts to twist her body from left to right, stretching her arms and back. And then she bends down to touch her toes, stretching out her legs.

"Sam," she chastises when she sees him just standing there, staring at her. "You're not stretching."

"What?" He says, as he snaps back to reality. "Sorry, you were distracting me," he apologizes as he starts to stretch.

She playfully rolls her eyes at him as a smile graces her lips before she eventually returns to stretching out her muscles. Then, a few minutes later, she claps her hands together, indicating that she's ready to go. "Okay, I think that's enough stretching," she decides. "Now, you sit here," she instructs as she points to a spot on the rug. "Face the kitchen and sit cross-legged," she adds.

He begrudgingly does what she says and sits cross-legged on the rug. Then, she sits with her back pressed up against his and crosses her legs as well.

"Seriously?" He complains. "I don't even get to look at you?" He whines. "This is not what I thought I was agreeing to when I said yes to naked yoga," he adds.

"Shh," she shushes him as she tries to stifle a laugh. "Okay, so put your hands on your thighs and just start to breathe normally," she instructs. "Can you feel me breathing?" She asks.

"Yeah," he replies.

"Okay good, so the first thing we'll do is sync up our breathing," she declares.

"Okay…" he says, skeptically. It takes a moment, but eventually, they figure it out and start to breathe together. They continue to breathe that way for roughly forty seconds before Andy moves on to the next exercise.

"Okay, so now we need to inhale and raise both of our hands above our heads, so we are stretching and lengthening our spines… then, as we exhale, we turn our upper bodies to the right, so our right hands will touch each other's left knee and our left hands touch the outside of our right knee, okay?" She instructs. "So we inhale and raise both hands and then exhale and twist," she repeats as she demonstrates each move. "Got it?"

"I think so," he tells her, a bit unsure.

"Okay, go," she says as they both inhale and raise their hands before exhaling and twisting their bodies. "Good," she praises. "Just hold it for five seconds and then relax," she tells him. "Okay, now this time we'll twist to the left," she tells him once they have relaxed.

"Okay," he agrees before they begin the exercise over again, except this time, instead of touching her knee, Sam slides his hand up the inside of her thigh, causing a shiver to run up her spine as he inches closer and closer to her.

" _Sam_ ," she says with a laugh as she slaps his hand away.

"Oops," he says, unconvincingly, causing her to chuckle.

"Let's do one more to the right and one more to the left," she suggests, trying to refocus her mind.

"Alright," he replies, begrudgingly, as they start the exercise over. Once again, he touches her thigh instead of her knee, except he doesn't get close enough for her to slap him away. Although, it's definitely not helping her relax.

"Okay," she says once they're finished with those exercises. "Now, let's turn around and face each other," she proposes.

"Yeah, let's do that," he agrees, enthusiastically, eliciting a laugh from Andy.

They quickly shuffle around until they're facing each other and sitting cross-legged with their knees touching.

"Okay, so for this position, we both need to grab each other's forearms," she explains as she reaches for his arms. Once they each have their hands wrapped around the other's forearms, she continues. "Okay, now we need to straighten our arms and lean backwards, so there is equal resistance between the two of us," she explains as she starts to lean back and allows Sam to do the same. "Okay and now as we inhale, we arc our spines and look straight up at the ceiling," she tells him as she does exactly that. "And then when we exhale, we touch our chins to our chests and curve our upper backs forward and widen our shoulder blades," she directs as she and Sam both exhale. "Let's do two more," she suggests when she sees that Sam is done.

"Kay," he agrees.

They both do the exercise two more times with Andy doing it perfectly and Sam really just going through the motions. Truthfully, he's putting most of his focus towards watching Andy, which doesn't go unnoticed by her. Still, he's actually doing yoga with her, so she's not going to complain.

"Okay, now for this one, we sit with our legs extended as wide as we can and with our feet touching," she explains as she stretches out her legs and waits for Sam to do the same, before she lines up their feet. "And then, we grab each other's forearms again," she tells him as she reaches out to wrap her hands around his forearms and he grabs hers, as well. "Okay and now, we each take turns leaning as far back as we can while the other person leans as far forward as then can… Do you wanna go first or should I?" She asks.

"You can," he shrugs.

"Okay," she agrees as she starts to lean back and in turn, pull him forward. He is actually able to bend over much farther than she thought he would and because of that, he ends up only inches from her slit. So, that's when he starts to focus his breathing right in between her legs. And yeah, now she's covered in goosebumps and biting down hard on her bottom lip.

" _Sam_ ," she chastises.

"Hm?" He asks, innocently. She can't see his face, but without a doubt, she knows that he's smirking.

"You're supposed to get up now," she tells him, deciding not to play into his game.

"I don't know, this feels pretty good," he teases as he directs his words in the perfect spot, causing more air to be blown her way.

"Sam, stop it!" She reprimands as she lets go of one of his arms and playfully hits him on the head.

"Hey!" He says with a laugh as she grabs onto his forearm again and he starts to lean back, so they are both sitting up straight.

"You still have five minutes left!" She tells him with a grin. "Behave!" She tells him.

"Okay, okay," he agrees.

"Good… now, it's your turn to lean back," she reminds him.

"Okay," he replies as he starts to lean backwards and pull her forwards. She easily bends herself in half, which lands her very close to Sam's hard cock.

"See, I knew you'd like naked yoga," she teases.

He lets out a chuckle and shrugs. "Well, I guess there are worse things I could be doing," he concurs. "Although, I can definitely think of a couple other things I'd _rather_ be doing," he adds.

"Hmm…" she says before she exhales and purposefully directs her breath at his balls as a bit of payback. She instantly feels him tense up and she can't help but smile. She takes another deep breath and then slowly blows out, once again aiming right in between his legs.

He immediately lets out a groan as his grip on her forearms tighten.

"Yeah?" She asks with a smile, right before she sticks out her tongue and licks the side of his cock.

"Andy," he spits out in surprise.

She lets out a laugh as she pulls herself up and then lets go of Sam's arms as she smiles back at him.

"Are we all done with yoga now?" He asks, hopefully.

"If I say yes, will you do it with me again on our next morning off?" She negotiates.

He eyes her for a moment, seemingly considering it, but in reality, he's already made the decision. "Okay," he agrees.

"Okay!" She replies with a big smile before she crawls over to him, maneuvers herself onto his lap and throws her arms around his neck. He's all but grinning at her as his hands begin their exploration of her body, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin under his fingertips.

"So… what did you think of yoga?" She inquires, biting back a smile.

"You know… you were right, yoga isn't so bad," he admits with this silly expression on his face. "Well, _naked_ yoga," he amends.

She chokes out a laugh and playfully rolls her eyes at him. "I told you that you'd like it," she reminds him as her fingers roam his back.

"I like anything that involves you without clothes on," he quips as his hands continue their exploration of her body.

"Hmm… I'll have to remember that the next time you're being stubborn," she teases.

"As long as you only use your powers for good, McNally," he reasons.

"No promises," she retorts with a mischievous grin.

==========REWRITTEN==========

Don't forget to review


	29. Losing You

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who left a review for the last chapter. I seriously appreciate all of the kind words… they really are my source of inspiration.

And as a reward, I'm posting my next chapter! Once again, it's a nice, long one. I actually combined two shorter chapters, so I'm hoping it's not too choppy.

And just in case it's not clear, the beginning of this chapter is supposed to reference the episode where the rookies all plan to go camping and then end up just camping on the roof.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Ready?" Andy asks as she bounces into Sam's room with the excitement practically radiating off her body.

"Mhm," he says with a nod, obviously not as enthusiastic as she is about their plans for the weekend.

"Wow, don't sound so excited," she quips.

"Sorry… camping just isn't really my idea of a fun weekend," he reminds her as he zips up his duffle bag.

"I know," she replies as she waltzes over to him and wraps her arms around his neck. "I _really_ do appreciate you doing this for me, though," she tells him before she leans in and gives him a quick kiss. "And trust me, you _will_ be properly thanked when we get back," she adds with a seductive smile.

"Why wait until we get back?" He asks with a grin as his hands travel under her shirt and up her sides.

" _Sam_ ," she giggles. "Come on, we don't have time… we're going to be late," she insists.

"We have a _little_ time," he maintains after a glance at the clock. Truthfully, they have maybe five minutes before they need to get going, but he's hoping that she doesn't notice.

"Uh _no_ we don't," she replies with a playful slap at his chest. "We have to leave in like five minutes," she reminds him.

"We can be ten minutes late," he offers as his hands continue their exploration of her body.

" _Sam_ ," she chuckles as she takes a step back in an attempt to wriggle out of his grasp. "We _really_ have to get going," she chastises.

"Okay fine, let's go," he groans. "But you owe me," he tells her with a point of his finger, a raised eyebrow and a silly smile.

"Well, you know I'm good for it," she jokes

"A whole weekend camping in the woods with the rookies…" he muses with a shake of his head as he grabs his duffle bag off the bed.

"Oh come, it's not gonna be that bad. Jerry and Oliver will be there, too," she reminds him.

"Still… I don't know how you talk me into this shit," he contemplates.

"It's a gift," she quips with a great big smile before she gives him another quick kiss and then dances out of the room.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"So… you survived the first day," Andy declares as she and Sam are snuggled up in their sleeping bag, several hours later.

"Only two more to go," Sam replies with mock enthusiasm.

"It's not _that_ bad, is it?" She questions as she rests her chin on his chest and peers up at him.

"No, it's not," he assures her as his fingers travel down her spine.

She smiles at him and leans in for a kiss before propping herself up on an elbow so she's hovering over him. "Still, I know it's not exactly your idea of a good time, so… thanks for coming with me," she says as her hand slowly explores his chest.

"You're welcome," he says with a smile.

"You know…" she begins as a smirk appears on her lips. "If we're _really_ quiet, I could probably get a jump start on all of that thanking I have to do," she tells him, suggestively.

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm," she says with a nod before her hand starts to travel south.

"Well, by all means," he grins.

==============REWRITTEN=============

The next morning, Sam is impatiently waiting for the water to boil so he can attempt to make some coffee when he overhears a particularly disturbing conversation.

"Look at him. He's totally smitten," He hears Chloe telling Dov several feet away.

"What are you talking about?" Dov asks with obvious surprise. "He's with Gail," he adds.

"For now," Chloe retorts.

And Sam's not really one to be interested in gossip, so he's not sure what makes him lift his head and look over, but when he does, he immediately gets this sinking feeling in his stomach.

Collins is sitting at a picnic table with Traci and Andy, who are giggling in response to whatever he just said. But it's the look on Nick's face that makes Sam uneasy. He's just sitting across from Andy and he's sort of… beaming at her. Yeah, he really does look kind of smitten.

"Oh come on, you're being ridiculous," Dov tells his girlfriend.

"No, _think_ about it… I mean, how long do you really think it's going to last between him and Gail? Nick is so nice and she… isn't… and if he's so into Gail then why is he always following Andy around all the time?" Chloe argues, obviously unaware of the fact that Sam can hear everything she's saying.

"They're friends," Dov reasons with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Do _you_ look at _your_ friends like that?" Chloe asks, incredulously, as she gestures over to where Andy and Nick are sitting.

And yeah, Dov doesn't have much of a response to that.

"He's totally falling for her," Chloe adds.

"Well, he better cut it out… I wouldn't want to be him if Gail or Swarek catch on," Dov comments.

"God, that would _not_ be good," Chloe agrees.

"Nope," Dov concurs. "Come on, we should probably go break up the love fest before Peck wakes up and sees him making googly eyes at McNally," he jokes before he stands up and pulls Chloe along with him.

And yeah, Sam's pretty much got his eyes on Nick for the rest of the day.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You okay?" Andy asks as she peers up at him, while drawing silly patterns on his chest. "You're being pretty quiet," she points out. "Actually, you've been kind of quiet all day," she considers.

"I'm fine," he assures her as he pulls her a little closer into his side.

"You sure?" She questions. "Are you having an awful time?" She wonders as she nibbles on her bottom lip.

"No, I'm having a good time," he promises.

"Really?"

"Yeah," he confirms with a nod. "What's the plan for tomorrow?" He asks, doing his best to change the subject.

"Well, Nick and I were talking and he said that there's a really great trail that loops around the whole campsite and takes you by this watering hole with a huge waterfall… so we were thinking that we could go for a nice hike and then go swimming," she explains.

"You and Nick seem to be getting pretty close," he points out.

Andy immediately pulls her head back and furrows her eyebrows, apparently more than a little taken back by the suggestion. "We're friends," she tells him.

"Yeah, I know," he responds, trying to sound casual.

"Okay, it's just… the way you said that… it seemed like you were… I don't know… insinuating something else," she says, carefully.

"I wasn't insinuating anything," he assures her. "I've just noticed that you've been spending a lot of time together."

"Okay… like I said, we're friends," she repeats

"I know," he replies.

"So… why'd you bring it up, then?" She wonders.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "Just making an observation," he adds.

"Okay…" she responds, not quite sure what to make of the conversation. "Are you… jealous?" She questions, after eyeing him for a moment.

"What? _No_ ," he dismisses. Although, he's not especially convincing.

A smile plays on Andy's lips as she inches closer to him. "Well, that's good because Nick really isn't my type," she informs him as her fingers graze up his chest.

"No?"

"No," she confirms with a shake of her head. "I prefer tall, dark and handsome… sarcastic and smart… pretends to be a hard ass, but really he's the sweetest man I've ever met," she grins.

Sam lets out a smile of his own as he tightens his grip on her and maneuvers her body so she's lying right on top of him. "Oh yeah?" He murmurs as his face inches towards hers.

"Mhm," she says with a nod and a smirk.

"Well, that's good to know," he remarks before pulling her into a kiss.

==============REWRITTEN=============

" _Sam_ ," Andy exclaims as she follows him into his house, over two weeks later. "It's not like I've never disagreed with you before, I don't know why you're getting so angry about this," she adds.

Sam immediately comes to a stop, but still doesn't turn around to face her. Instead he leans against the kitchen counter with one hand and uses the other to pinch the bridge of his nose as he attempts to calm himself.

"Talk to me," Andy implores as she walks around him, so they are facing each other, and pulls at his arm so she can get a look at him.

"Andy, we're partners," he tells her after blowing out a breath. "We're supposed to back each other up, no matter what," he reminds her.

"I _know_ ," she replies. "But that doesn't mean I have to agree with you all the time," she maintains.

Sam rolls his eyes in response and turns around to grab a beer from the fridge.

"Sam, I'm _allowed_ to disagree with you," she remarks.

"Yeah… you are," he replies after taking a sip of his beer. "But it would have been nice if you had come to me and discussed it instead of going off with Collins to try and prove me wrong," he retorts.

"Sam, that is _not_ what happened!" She argues. "Wait… is _that_ what this is about?" She wonders. "You're mad because you think I was taking Nick's side instead of yours?"

"Well, you _were_ ," he remarks with a raised eyebrow.

"Sam, we just happened to agree… and tomorrow, maybe I'll agree with you or maybe I'll agree with Dov or Oliver or who knows… just because today it was Nick… that doesn't mean anything," she assures him. "You know that Nick and I are just friends," she adds.

"Yeah," Sam says with a sarcastic roll of his eyes.

"I don't get it… if this was Chris or Dov, you wouldn't care… what do you have against Nick?" She questions.

"Yeah well, Epstein & Diaz aren't trying to get in your pants," he snaps.

"What?" Andy asks as she takes a step back, obviously surprised by his words.

"Come on Andy, Collins obviously wants you… everybody can see it," he tells her.

" _Everybody_ can see it? What are you talking about?" She questions. "He… he and Gail _just_ broke up," she reminds him.

"And I _wonder_ why that is," Sam muses.

"It doesn't have anything to do with me!" She cries.

Sam blows out a breath and wipes a hand over his face. He's tired and aggravated and this conversation is going nowhere. "Look, I'm exhausted… I'm going to bed," he tells her, deciding that he's done fighting about this. He takes one last look at her before he turns around and heads towards his bedroom.

"Sam, we need to talk about this," Andy insists, as she reaches out and grabs his arm to stop him.

"I don't want to fight," he tells her after he turns towards her with this run down, defeated look on his face.

"Then let's not fight," she replies as she slowly takes a few steps forward and tentatively wraps her arms around his neck, as if she's afraid he's going to spook if she goes too fast. "Just talk to me," she pleads. "Tell me what's really bothering you," she adds.

Sam simply stares at her, seemingly considering his words, as the seconds tick by. Eventually, he lets out a sigh and then places his hands at the small of her back, tugging her close. "I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I just don't like to feel like… like I'm losing you," he explains.

"Sam, you are _not_ losing me," she promises, completely shocked that thought would ever cross his mind. "I can't believe you would ever think that," she adds.

"I don't know," Sam shrugs. "You guys have been getting a lot closer," he adds as he shifts his focus to something behind her, obviously intent on not meeting her eyes.

"Hey," she says in an attempt to get his attention. "Seriously… Nick is _just_ my friend," she continues, once she catches his attention. "And even _if_ he feels differently, _I_ don't," she insists. "I love you, okay? I love you," she promises.

"Okay," Sam replies as he leans down, presses his forehead against hers and tightens his grip on her waist. "I'm sorry," he repeats as he closes his eyes for a moment.

"It's okay," she assures him. "I just wish you'd talk to me instead of holding all of this in," she adds as she runs her fingers through his hair.

"I know… I guess… I guess I didn't even realize that I was," he explains.

"I just don't know why you would ever think that," she comments.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "Sometimes… sometimes I just worry," he admits.

"Okay… but when you do, you need to talk to me about it so I can tell you how insane you're being," she tells him with a playful smile. "Seriously… you don't _ever_ have to worry about that," she tells him. "I love you and I don't want anyone else," she vows.

"Okay… good," he says with a smile before he presses his lips to hers and pull her against his chest.

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's around six o'clock when Andy walks through his front door, tosses her keys on the counter and makes her way to the couch, where Sam's stretched out with a beer.

"Hey," he greets her with a smile as he lifts his head and glances over at her. Except, as soon as he sees the look on her face, it quickly disappears. "What's wrong?" He asks as she takes the last couple steps towards him.

Without a word, she maneuvers herself so she's basically draped half on top of him and half snuggled between him and the back of the couch. His hand instinctively lands on her back and he immediately starts to run his fingers along her spine in an effort to soothe her. Then, she buries her face in his neck and takes a moment to breathe in his comforting and familiar scent before preparing herself to explain the events of the day. Eventually, she blows out a breath and declares, "My mom is leaving."

"What?" Sam asks as he peers down at her.

Andy moves her head so her cheek is pressed against his chest as she holds onto him a little bit tighter. "She's moving across the country… to be closer to her daughter," she explains before lifting her head to meet Sam's eyes. "She just graduated from college in Vancouver and she's planning to stay… apparently Claire can't _bear_ to be away from her, so she's moving out there… because evidently she has absolutely _no_ problem leaving her other daughter," Andy continues as she attempts to fight back the tears.

"Shit Andy, I'm so sorry," he tells her as he slips his hand under her shirt and soothingly rubs her back in that way that she really likes.

"What is wrong with her?" Andy asks.

"There's obviously a _lot_ wrong with her," Sam replies.

"Oh and what's even better is that she's moving in _two_ weeks… _and_ she already has a new job out there and a condo… but she only told me today. She's probably known for months!" Andy exclaims. "She seriously doesn't give a shit about me," Andy decides.

Sam continues to rub her back as he tries to think of something he can say to her that will make her feel better, although he already knows that those words don't exist. Really, all he wants to do is go find Claire McNally and tell her what a horrible person she is.

"I never should've let her back into my life… what was I thinking?" Andy muses as she props herself up on Sam's chest. "I should've listened to you…. God, I'm so stupid and naïve… I really thought she had changed, that she wanted to make things right between us… I'm such an idiot," she groans.

"Stop, you're not an idiot," he assures her. "You just… you always try to see the best in people," he tells her.

"Yeah… idiot," she snorts with a roll of her eyes.

"No…" he says with a shake of his head. "It's one of the things I love most about you."

And that's when he's finally able to get a small smile out of her and, honestly, he can't help but feel proud for putting it there.

"God, if I didn't have abandonment issues before…" she says as she rolls her eyes at herself. "I hope you realize that you can't ever leave me," she tells him. And her tone is completely lighthearted and playful, but as he looks into her eyes, he wonders if, deep down, she's even a little bit serious.

"I won't," he assures her. And he means it, he really does. He can't imagine ever considering it.

"Good, because I really couldn't handle that," she replies. And this time, there isn't even an ounce of humor in her voice.

"You're stuck with me," he promises as he cups her jaw with both hands, trying to get her to believe his words.

"Perfect," she says with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he replies before he leans in for a kiss.

==============REWRITTEN=============

She knew this shift was going to be hell the moment it started.

Jerry needed Sam to go over his notes for an upcoming court date, which was fine. Yeah, she prefers being partnered with Sam, but it's also nice to switch it up once in a while. She was actually looking forward to being paired with Oliver or maybe Dov or Chloe… even Peck would've been okay. But when she found out she was with Marlo… yeah, she wasn't pleased.

She knows that she shouldn't hold a grudge. It's not like Marlo knew Sam was off-limits. It was an entirely innocent mistake. It could've happened to anyone.

Yeah, she knows all of this… but she still can't help but hold a bit of a grudge.

She swears it's not even just the Sam thing, either. They are just very different people.

So yeah, she knew today wasn't going to be fun. Except, never in her wildest dreams would she have predicted this.

It's barely three hours into their shift and she's stuck with Marlo in some art gallery, completely covered in anthrax and God knows what else.

Yeah, it's not exactly the day she had planned when she woke up this morning.

It's been about ten minutes since Frank informed them of the anthrax and they've barely said two words to each other. She just has no idea what to say to her. What are they supposed to talk about? They have nothing in common. And yeah, they might be dying so, seriously… what is there to say?

Thankfully, her phone rings seconds later and she's momentarily saved from the awkwardness.

"Hey," she says as she picks up her phone.

"Hey, are you okay? What's going on?" Sam asks, already in panic-mode.

"We're waiting for the Haz-mat team," she informs him.

"What do you mean _waiting_ for the Haz-mat team? It's been at least ten minutes! They aren't there yet?" He questions.

"Not yet," she responds.

"She says the Haz-mat team isn't there yet," he tells whoever is standing beside him. "Jerry's gonna find out what's taking them so long," he conveys to Andy.

"Well, I'm pretty much covered in the stuff, so I doubt a few extra minutes will make much of a difference," she remarks.

"You're _covered_ in it? Frank didn't tell me that," he replies, trying his best to sound calmer than he feels.

"Yeah, Nathan Barnes kind of threw it at us," she explains.

"Jesus," he says as he wipes a hand down his face. "I'm coming down there," he declares as she hears him grab his keys and begin to walk down the hallway.

"Sam, there's no reason for you to come down here… it's not like you can come in here. You'll get exposed, too," she reminds him.

"I'll just feel better if I'm over there," he argues.

She lets out a sigh, already knowing that there's nothing she can do or say to change his mind. "Just promise me you won't try to come in here," she implores.

"Andy…" he begins, already deciding that he won't make that promise.

" _Sam_ , I'm serious," she retorts. "I'm sure we'll be fine… I mean, they have antidotes for this kind of thing, don't they?" She says, although she doesn't feel too confident in her words. "We're gonna be okay, right?" She asks, starting to get a bit anxious.

He immediately senses her nerves and starts to feel guilty for exacerbating her fears. "Of _course_ you are," he assures her. "Just… you know… try not to breathe any of it in and keep it away from your eyes and mouth," he instructs. "Just to be safe," he adds, quickly.

"Yeah," she says with a nod.

"You're gonna be fine," he reiterates. "I just… I just want to be there for when you get out," he explains.

"Yeah, okay," she agrees with a nod before glancing over her shoulder at Marlo and then walking to the other end of the room. "But, you know… just in case…" she begins before taking a deep breath. "I love you, you know," she tells him. "I love you so much."

"Andy, you're gonna be fine," he repeats. "They're gonna decontaminate you and probably give you a bunch of antibiotics and then I'll be right outside waiting to take you home," he promises.

"Yeah," she says, unconvincingly, as she starts to make her way back towards Marlo.

"I mean it," he urges. "You're going to be fine," he says. "I'll get Frank to let us leave early and we'll pick up something for dinner… whatever you want… and we'll eat in bed and I'll even watch the Bachelorette with you," he vows.

She lets out a small laugh at his words. "I don't know, it kind of sounds like I'm dying… you making all of those promises," she teases.

"You're _not_ dying," he guarantees.

"I know," she lies.

He lets out a sigh. "I love you," he tells her.

"I love you, too," she replies with a smile.

"You're going to be fine," he repeats.

"I know," she says again.

"Oh shit, Jerry is calling me… I'll call you back in a minute, okay?" He tells Andy.

"Okay," she agrees.

"Bye."

"Bye," she says before hanging up the phone and placing it down beside her. She sneaks a glance at Marlo who is sitting silently several feet away from her.

They spend the next minute and a half in awkward silence before Marlo looks over at her and finally opens her mouth.

"You really don't like me, do you?" She asks.

Andy turns to look at her, obviously surprised by her words. "I like you," she lies.

Marlo laughs. "No you don't," she argues.

"I don't know you," Andy shrugs.

"No… you don't," Marlo agrees. "But yet, you still don't like me," she adds.

"I don't have anything against you," Andy tells her.

Marlo lets out a sigh. "Look, I know you're upset because you think I was flirting with Sam when I first got to 15," she says. "And yeah, I _was_ flirting with him," she admits. "But I had no idea the two of you were together… if I had known, I never would have done it… but I am sorry, okay?" She apologizes.

"It's fine," Andy says, unpersuasively.

"You guys clearly seem very happy together and I have no intention of trying to get in the middle of that… so, if that's what you're worried about… you don't need to be," she assures her.

"I'm not worried about that!" Andy retorts, a bit offended. Why would she be worried about Marlo getting in between them?

"Okay," Marlo says, attempting to call a truce. "I mean, now that I've been here a little longer and have seen the two of you together… it's obvious how much he much he loves you," she continues. "I probably should've seen it before, but… I don't know, I guess I was just seeing what I wanted to see," she admits.

Andy meets her eyes and, for a moment, she actually feels bad for her. "Marlo, it's okay… really," she assures her. And this time, she's more convincing.

Marlo offers her a small smile. "He seems like a really great guy and you seem like you're really happy together," she says.

"He is… and we are," Andy replies.

"How long have you been together?" She wonders.

"Two years," Andy responds, keeping up the ruse that they didn't get together until months after she was cute loose.

"Well… like I said, I'm sorry about before," she apologizes.

"It's okay… I get it… you didn't know," Andy tells her before she blows out a breath. "And I'm sorry, too… I guess I have been holding it against you a bit," she admits.

Marlo lets out a chuckle as a small smile graces her lips. "It's okay," she assures her.

Andy nods in response before another bout of silence falls over them. But at least this time, it's a more comfortable silence.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Roughly twenty minutes later, she takes the most intense shower of her life, scrubs her skin practically raw, puts on a grey sweat suit provided by Howard and gets an insane dose of antibiotics. Afterwards, she's finally allowed to leave and immediately goes to find Sam.

"Andy!" He calls to her when he sees her walk out. He quickly makes his way over to her as she jogs towards him.

"Hey," she says as she jumps into his arms while Marlo slowly makes her way over to where Frank and Jerry are standing.

"Are you okay?" He asks as he holds her tight.

"Yeah," she says with a nod. "They said I'll be fine," she assures him.

"Really?" He questions as he pulls back to meet her eyes.

"Yeah, they gave us antibiotics as a preventative, but we'll both be fine," she assures him as he places her back down on the ground.

"I'm so glad you're okay… you really scared me," he says as he pulls her back into a hug.

"I know, me too," she concurs as she buries her face into his neck and relishes the feeling of being wrapped up in his arms. "Can we go home?" She asks, a moment later.

"Yeah," he agrees as he grabs her hand.

"And don't forget, you owe me dinner in bed and a _whole_ episode of the Bachelorette," she beams as she lets him lead her to his car.

"Hmm… you remember that, huh?" Sam asks with an amused smile.

"Did you really think I'd forget?" She grins.

"I could only hope," he retorts with a smile as he pulls her into his side and kisses the top of her head.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Well, like I said, I'm hoping that wasn't _too_ choppy. Don't forget to leave a review! They really do motivate me to update faster! And the next chapter is already written & doesn't really need any edits, so I should be able to post it pretty soon.


	30. Scare

Another long chapter! I'm on a roll

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Hello?" Andy says as she answers her phone.

"Hey," he says as his brows start to furrow. It's almost two o'clock in the afternoon, but it sounds like his call just woke her up. "You okay?" He asks.

"I feel like shit," she groans.

"What's wrong?" He questions.

"I'm sick," she replies. "I've been alternating between sleeping and throwing up practically all day," she tells him.

"Okay, well I just got off work… I'll be home in a few minutes," he informs her. "Do you need me to pick up anything?" He asks.

"I'm not at your place… I went to mine," she explains.

"Oh… why?" He wonders. Since Gail's kidnapping, she almost never stays at her place.

"I didn't want to spread my germs around your house… I threw the sheets in the wash before I left, and I sprayed a ton of Lysol everywhere, so you should be okay," she tells him.

"Okay well, I can be at your place in ten minutes… do you want me to stop at the store and get you some medicine? Or I could grab some ginger ale?" He suggests.

"Sam, no… I don't want to get you sick," she conveys. "That's why I came home," she reminds him.

"I'll be fine," he dismisses.

"Seriously, just go home… this is probably just some 24 hour bug. I'll be okay, you don't need to come over here," she insists.

"Andy," he says in that serious, TO voice of his. "I'm coming over either way, so you might as well just tell me what you'd like me to pick up," he points out.

She lets out a half groan, half sigh. "You're so stubborn," she tells him.

"I know," he replies.

"I guess some ginger ale would be nice," she decides.

"Okay, I'll stop at the store and see you in twenty," he tells her.

"Okay," she replies before she hangs up the phone.

And it's about fifteen minutes later that he's walking through her front door, carrying grocery bags in both hands.

"Hey," he greets her as he slips off his shoes and hangs up his jacket.

"Hey," she replies from her spot on the couch. She's wrapped up in a blanket and is holding an empty bowl in her lap. "You really shouldn't be here," she warns. "You're gonna get sick."

"I'll be fine," he tells her again.

"Well, don't come crying to me when you feel like shit," she warns him.

He lets out a laugh and makes his way over to her before placing the two grocery bags on the coffee table in front of her.

"What did you get?" She asks as she realizes that bags he's carrying must be full of something besides ginger ale.

"A bunch of stuff," he shrugs as he starts to dig through the paper bag. "Ginger ale," he says as he pulls the two liter bottle out of the bag. "Dramamine," he says as he places the box on the table. "Peppermint tea and some citrus popsicles… apparently peppermint and citrus are supposed to help nausea," he tells her as he removes those from the bag. "And I got some Gatorade to keep you hydrated… I know the blue kind is your favorite, so…" he says as he lifts the blue Gatorade out of the bag, eliciting a smile from the woman on the couch. "Oh and I got some magazines and rented a couple movies so you won't get bored," he continues as he places the magazines and DVDs on the table. "And if you think you can eat something, I got some crackers and chicken broth," he tells her.

"You know… you're kind of perfect," she tells him with a smile.

He grins at her as he crumbles up the paper bag. "So you think you can eat something?" He wonders.

"I don't know… maybe later," she shrugs.

"Okay," he replies with a nod before sitting down on the couch, beside her. "Come here," he says as he reaches out for her.

"Sam, you really should stay away," she warns. Although, all she really wants to do is snuggle up in his arms.

Sam rolls his eyes and once again, gestures for her to crawl up beside him. "Andy, come here," he repeats.

This time, it's her who rolls her eyes. "Fine," she says before she turns her body so he can scoop her up in his arms. He pulls her close and runs his hand up and down her back as she closes her eyes and enjoys it for a minute or two. "You're seriously wonderful," she coos as she opens her eyes and looks up at him.

He smiles down at her and kisses her on the forehead.

"I know."

==============REWRITTEN=============

Yeah, he's seriously freaking out right now. His mind has been racing ever since he left the station. He's already thinking the worst- conjuring up every possible scenario. And none of them are good.

He just… he doesn't even know _what_ to think.

These past two days…. she's been different and he has no idea why. She's been avoiding him whenever she can and when they _are_ in the same room, she still seems distant. He _knows_ there's something going on with her, but whatever it is- she's keeping it to herself and he just doesn't know what to do.

It all started after shift two nights ago. Instead of going to the Penny or coming over to his place like she normally would, she asked him if he could drive her home. She claimed she was just exhausted and really needed to go lie down, since she was still getting over the bug she'd had a couple days earlier. At the time, he thought it was pretty weird considering the number of times she had come home with him and immediately crashed on his couch or went to lie down in his bed for an hour until dinner was ready. The fact that she was _so_ desperate to sleep in her own bed seemed really strange given that she had been staying at his place so regularly, but he didn't push it. Instead, he gave her a ride home and had a few beers at the Penny with Oliver and Jerry.

Then last night, she said she couldn't hang out after shift because she promised her Dad she'd have dinner with him. And when he offered to pick her up afterwards, she dismissed the idea and told him that she'd just see him in the morning. Again, he thought it was weird, but he tried not to read too much into it.

The thing is, it just continued this morning. They both have today and tomorrow off, so he called her right when he woke up, figuring he'd stop by and pick her up so they could grab some breakfast and spend the day together. And that's when she told him that she was going shopping with Traci. Of course, he complained that he's barely seen in her days and after a minute or two, she promised that she'd call him this afternoon. So yeah, it seemed like everything was kind of okay between the two of them, but then he stopped by the station in order to hit the gym for a bit and he found Traci walking out of an interrogation room. For a moment, he thought that maybe she just got called in at the last minute, but no, she had been working all morning.

So yeah, Andy lied to him.

And honestly, the realization hit him like nothing else. She _lied_ to him. She lied to get out of spending time with him. And if she did it this morning, it stands to reason that all of her other excuses were probably lies, too.

So, he immediately said goodbye to Traci and forgot about the gym all together. He just had to get out of there. He needed to think.

He probably sat in his truck for ten minutes, just trying to work all of it out in his head, trying to come up with any plausible reason she would have to lie to him. But he came up with nothing.

So, he called her. And when she didn't answer, he only felt worse.

Something was going on and he needed an explanation. So, he started the truck and drove to her place.

And yeah, he probably should not have been driving at that point. He honestly can't even remember the ride to her house. He was completely lost in his thoughts, trying to figure out what was going on with her.

Notwithstanding the past two days, things between them had been going great. Their relationship had never been better… at least in _his_ mind.

But he must have missed something, right? He must've done something to make her avoid him like this. It's just the fact that she hasn't _told_ him what that is exactly, is what's really freaking him out.

It's just that, she hasn't said _anything_. And normally, she has no problem telling him when she's pissed, so the fact that she hasn't… well, it's seriously causing him to panic.

It makes him feel like maybe whatever it is isn't worth hashing out. Maybe she's already made up her mind that she's done. Maybe she just doesn't know how to tell him. Maybe she's waiting for him to just take the hint.

And yeah, those thoughts make him want to throw up.

He just… he can't lose her. He honestly can't imagine anything worse.

He needs her in his life more than he's ever needed anyone. She truly is the best thing that's ever happened to him and if she's done… he doesn't know what he'll do.

He feels like his whole life is flashing before his eyes. The life he sometimes lets himself imagine late at night when she's lying in his arms. The one he desperately wants to be reality someday. But now it feels like it's slipping through his fingertips and he doesn't know if there's anything he can do to stop it.

So yeah, he's really freaking out.

He's been outside her place for the past fifteen minutes, alternating between sitting on her steps and pacing around them. He's called her two more times and she still hasn't answered, which only worries him more.

It's maybe another ten minutes when he spots her walking down the street towards him. She doesn't notice him until she's less than half a block away, but the second he sees her, his heartrate picks up. As nervous as he was before, it's much worse now that she's actually here. He has no idea what's about to happen and it's seriously scaring the shit out of him.

"I've been trying to call you," he tells her when she gets within ear shot.

"Oh uh, sorry… I accidentally left my phone inside," she tells him. And the fact that she is so obviously nervous by his presence, he doesn't even want to think about what that means. "So… what are you doing here?" She asks, attempting to sound casual, but in reality, she's anything but.

"We need to talk," he tells her. "Can we go inside?" He asks, trying his very best to remain calm.

"Um yeah… sure," she replies before unlocking her front door and walking inside. He quickly follows her in and shuts the door behind him. She leads him into the kitchen before she turns around and leans against the counter. "Everything okay?" She asks as she shoves her hands in her pockets.

"Not really," he replies with a slight shake of his head.

"What's wrong?" She questions as she furrows her brows.

"I just… I need to know what's going on with you," he tells her.

"What… what do you mean?" She asks, a bit apprehensive.

"You _know_ what I mean," he accuses. "You've been avoiding me for days and then this morning you lied to me… I saw Nash at the station… she's working _all_ day, so I'm pretty sure you aren't going shopping with her," he informs her.

"Oh," she replies before she starts to nervously bite down on her bottom lip.

" _Oh_? That's it?" He questions. "That's all you have to say?

"Um… I don't really know _what_ to say," she admits as she anxiously shuffles her feet.

"How about you start with what's been going on with you?" he suggests. "Are you pissed at me about something?" He wonders. "Because if you are, just tell me so I can fix it."

She lets out a deep sigh and looks up to meet his gaze. "Sam, this isn't something you can fix," she tells him. And her words mixed with the defeated expression on her face are making him feel like he might actually throw up.

"Andy, what the fuck is going on?" He asks, not even trying to hide the desperation in his voice.

She briefly closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, apparently preparing herself for what she's about to say. "Sam, I… I um… I might be… I might be pregnant," she explains.

And yeah, he's definitely in shock for a moment or two. Neither one of them say anything for what feels like an eternity. She's just staring down at her feet, only glancing up at him every so often, while he is just staring at her with his jaw dropped and eyes wide.

"Uh… wow," he eventually says, unable to get anything else to come out of his mouth as he runs his fingers through his hair.

"I'm late and I've been nauseous, so I took a test a couple days ago and… and it was positive," she informs him. "And I had an appointment with my doctor this morning… she took some blood and is supposed to call with the results tomorrow morning," she adds.

"Wow," he says again. It's just… that seriously was not at all what he was expecting her to say. But honestly, he's probably never been more relieved.

"I know," she responds with a sigh as she looks down at the floor.

"So, that's why you've been acting so weird?" He questions. "That's the _only_ reason?" He adds.

"That's not enough?!" She asks, incredulously.

A smile briefly plays on his lips as he takes a few steps forward and cups her jaw with one hand while using his other to push some hair behind her ear. "I just… I thought… I thought you wanted to end things," he admits. "And it seriously scared the shit out of me."

"Sam, no… of course not," she says with a shake of her head and apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry, I… I just…" she begins before letting out a sigh. "Wait, is that _really_ all you have to say? I tell you I'm pregnant and that's… that's it?" She asks, in disbelief.

"Well… it's not like it would be the worst thing in the world…" he reminds her as he fingers run through her hair. "I mean, yeah, it would be scary and it'd definitely be happening a lot sooner than I ever thought it would, but… I mean, I did want to have a family with you someday, so…" he says with a shrug.

"Really? You do?" She asks, completely in shock.

"Yeah," he says with a smile and a nod. "Did you… did you think I'd be upset?" He asks as he furrows his brows.

"I don't know… I wasn't sure," she admits with a shrug. "It's not like we planned this," she reminds him.

"I know, but… listen, whatever happens, we'll get through it together, you know that," he assures her.

"Yeah," she says with a smile as she buries her face in his neck and hugs him tightly.

"So why didn't you just tell me?" He asks after a minute goes by.

"I don't know…. I didn't want to burden you with this until I knew for sure," she explains as she pulls back to meet his gaze.

" _Burden_ me? Are you serious?" He asks, causing her to shrug. "So instead you just avoid me and lie to me and make me think that you're done?" He asks, incredulously.

"I know… you're right. I guess I thought I was being more discrete than I actually was… obviously I wasn't thinking," she says with a sigh. "I'm sorry," she apologizes. "But I love you, you know… so much… the last thing I would ever want is for us to be over," she assures him.

He nods his head and pushes the hair out of her face before he kisses her forehead. "I just… I wish you would've told me," he tells her. "I hate that you thought I'd be anything but supportive," he adds.

She lets out a sigh and silently chastises herself for being so stupid. She can see how much her secret-keeping is bothering him and she hates it. "Sam, it's not like I thought you wouldn't be supportive… I just wasn't sure how to tell you and I figured that there was no reason to freak you out if it was a false alarm," she explains. "But I _am_ sorry I didn't tell you… when I was at the doctor's, I kept wishing that you were there with me… it was pretty terrifying," she admits.

"When are we going to know for sure?" He asks.

"She said sometime tomorrow," Andy replies.

He nods his head and cups her jaw with one hand while his other gently squeezes her hip. "Whatever happens, it'll be okay," he promises.

"Yeah," she agrees with a slight nod as she pulls him closer.

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's several hours later, when they are both lying in bed together and Sam's fingers haven't stopped grazing her bare stomach since they slipped under the sheets five minutes earlier.

"So… how late are you?" He inquires.

"Um five days… and I'm _never_ that late… and the doctor told me that it's pretty rare to get a false positive, so…"

"So, you're probably pregnant," Sam concludes.

"Yeah," Andy nods, as she nervously chews on her bottom lip.

"It'll be okay," he assures her as he physically tugs on her lip until she releases it from in between her teeth. "You know you aren't doing this alone, right?" He asks. "I'll be right here with you every step of the way," he promises.

"I know," she confirms with a nod. "Thank you," she tells him. "For being so amazing," she adds as she tugs on his shoulder, telling him that she wants him on top of her. He quickly moves his body so he's straddling her, without putting any weight on her stomach as he leans in to nudge her nose with his. "I really missed you these past couple nights," she tells him.

"Really missed you, too," he replies before he leans in to kiss her. He doesn't intend for it to be a long kiss, but as soon as Andy wraps her arms around his neck, pulls him closer and slips her tongue in his mouth, he knows it won't be quick. They continue to kiss as they shuffle their legs around a bit until Andy wraps hers around Sam's hips while simultaneously running her hands up and down his bare back.

It's a few minutes later when Sam pulls away and lifts her bralette over her head before tossing it on the floor. Once her breasts are exposed, he gets a hand on one while kissing his way down her neck. Eventually, he gets his mouth on her other breast causing Andy to whimper. Then, as he makes his way down her body, Andy opens her eyes and watches as he places several kisses on her stomach.

It's not like he's never done this before- he has- but now it has so much more meaning and honestly, the action makes her heart swell a bit.

And as he continues to kiss his way down her stomach, she can't help but think how lucky she is that this man is going to be the father of her baby.

==============REWRITTEN=============

As she walked home yesterday, she assumed that the hours she'd spend waiting for the doctor's phone call would be torturous. She figured she'd spend that time being nothing but anxious and terrified. She anticipated having a restless night's sleep and an even more restless morning as she paced around her house waiting.

But, as soon as she talked to Sam, her worry slipped away. He truly made her feel like they could do this- that they _would_ do this. Together.

She was still a little scared, but she was also kind of excited.

So, instead of pacing around the house, she spent the night dreaming of their future. She dreamt of Sam holding their newborn baby with this look of absolute awe. She dreamt of him teaching their toddler how to walk as he looked on with this unbelievably proud expression on his face. She dreamt of him holding their child's hand as they walked around the grocery store together. She dreamt of him giving piggy back rides, pushing their kid on the swing and teaching him or her how to ride a bike. She dreamt of bedtime stories, holiday traditions, family vacations, and more.

And she honestly loved every single second.

And when she woke up, she was tangled up in Sam's arms like she always is, but this time he had the palm of his hand placed protectively on her stomach and it just made her melt inside.

After the two of them crawled out of bed, the morning went by like any other and honestly, the fact that the doctor was supposed to call didn't even cross her mind once.

But now the phone is ringing and when she glances at the caller ID, it all comes flooding back. Her heartrate speeds up a bit and some of the anxiety returns, but she isn't half as freaked out as she thought she would be.

"It's the doctor," she tells Sam as she silences the ringtone on her cell phone.

"Whatever she says, it's gonna be okay," Sam assures her as he places his hand on the small of her back. She smiles and nods at him in response before taking a deep breath and answering the phone.

The conversation lasts way longer than it should and truthfully, Andy only hears a few select words. She's so stunned that her mind kind of goes blank for a moment. She's briefly aware of the fact that Sam is inches away from her, trying to read her expression and simultaneously overhear what's being said, but she's too lost in her thoughts to give him a clue about what's going on.

It's another minute before the doctor says goodbye and Andy hangs up the phone. When she meets Sam's eyes, she realizes he's waiting for her to speak. "I'm not pregnant," she explains with a shrug.

"Oh… wow okay," Sam says, utterly shocked.

"She said the false positive could've been from user error or it could've been a defective test… or maybe it was expired," she explains. "Traci gave it to me, so it could've been old… or maybe I'm just the only person in the universe who can fuck up peeing on a stick," she adds, rolling her eyes at herself. .

"You okay?" Sam asks after he grabs her hand and pulls her into his arms.

"Yeah," she says with a nod. "I um… I know it's crazy and it's the complete opposite of the right time, but I guess I had just gotten used to the idea, you know?" she admits.

"It's not crazy to be a little disappointed," he assures her. "I mean… I kind of am," he confesses.

"Really?" She asks as she peers up at him.

"Yeah," he confirms. "I know it's not the right time and the idea of you being pregnant _was_ a little terrifying, but it was also kind of exciting," he informs her.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah… I mean, I told you I want a family with you someday," he reminds her as he cups her jaw with his hand.

"I know, I guess I'm just surprised that you think about that kind of stuff," she tells him.

"I think about a lot of things," he shrugs.

"Yeah… I just wasn't really sure if you wanted all of that," she explains.

"I didn't used to," he confesses. "But, I don't know… you make me want a lot of things that I never used to want," he tells her.

She smiles bright as she wraps her arms around his neck as briefly runs her fingers through his hair. "You really want a family?" She asks again. "With me?" She adds.

"Who _else_ would I want it with?" He smirks, before becoming serious again. "Andy, you're the only person I've ever considered having a future with… and yeah, I really do want it," he promises.

Her smile widens and she just beams at him for a moment. It's all just so surreal. Yes, they've talked about the future before, but it was always been very theoretical. But this… this is real and concrete and… permanent. He wants a family. With her. He wants her to be the mother of his children someday.

And yeah, she seriously wants that, too.

"I want the same thing, you know?" She tells him, only pulling away enough to get a look at his face. "A family… a future," she clarifies. "With you."

"Yeah?" He asks, unable to stop the smile spreading across his face.

"Yeah," she nods. "Definitely," she adds as her own smile touches her lips.

"Well then, let's make sure that happens, okay?" He suggests.

"Okay," she agrees with a smile before she leans in and gives him another kiss.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Hope you guys liked this

Please don't forget to review!


	31. Moving Forward

So, we've been getting SO much snow recently. It's insane. A few weeks ago, it was sixty degrees for an entire week. I thought Spring was finally coming, but then had two crazy snow storms in the past two weeks. Over twenty two inches total. So yeah, the point is that I didn't have power for about four days, which is my excuse for why I didn't update sooner. Lol.

Anyway, we finally got the power back so here is the next chapter…

======REWRITTEN=======

"This is nice, isn't it?" Andy muses as she and Sam dance at Frank and Noelle's wedding.

"Yeah it is," he agrees with a smile as his hand slides down her back.

"And this place is gorgeous, don't you think?" Andy adds as she glances around the ballroom.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind getting married at a place like this," he declares while memories of his conversation with Frank flash through his mind.

And yeah, the comment definitely takes her by surprise, but she does her best not to show it. "Oh yeah?" She says, attempting to sound casual so he'll continue with this line of thought.

"Yeah… but I'm guessing you'll probably want an outdoor wedding," he replies with a teasing smile.

And again, she's surprised. Sure, they agreed that they want a future together, but the fact that he's actually considered what kind of wedding she would want… yeah, that's pretty much shocking. "Um outdoors might be nice, but I'm not picky," she tells him.

"Well, the bride's supposed to get whatever she wants, McNally," he reminds her with a grin.

"That's true," she quips. "But I don't think I'd really be the bridezilla type," she adds.

"You sure?" He asks with a playful smile. "I think you might have a little of that in you," he teases.

She laughs and playfully hits his chest. "Maybe just a _tiny_ bit," she eventually admits. "But I wouldn't be that bad," she insists. "I promise," she adds.

"Well, I'll hold you to that," he informs her as he pulls her even closer to his chest.

And yeah, that's… interesting.

=======REWRITTEN=======

It's almost one o'clock in the morning when Sam and Andy decide it's time to go home. So, Sam calls a cab while he goes to get their coats and by the time they are done saying their goodbyes, the cab has pulled up in front of the hotel.

They've both had quite a few drinks, so they are a little bit silly when they get into the cab, but as they make their way across town, they eventually start to quiet down.

It hasn't even been five minutes into the cab ride when Sam starts running his hand up and down her bare thigh- starting off innocently, but quickly getting higher and higher each time. She half-heartedly whispers at him to stop, but she also opens her legs just a tad wider so he figures she doesn't actually mean it. He lets several seconds go by and when she doesn't complain again, he starts to place kisses up and down her neck and slides his fingers up her thigh to her underwear. He lets his fingers skim her a bit as he feels her breath hitch in her throat each time he grazes her clit. Once he starts to feel the moisture through the fabric, he asks the cabby to turn on some music, pushes her panties to the side and allows himself to explore her a little as she tries everything in her power not to make any noise. He is seriously teasing her- just touching her with the barest amount of pressure. Every time she bucks her hips at his fingers, he pulls away and he literally hears her growl.

"Sam," she whines in a very low whisper.

"Yes, McNally?" He asks sweetly as his breath hits her ear, causing a shiver to go down her spine.

"Stop teasing," she pleads.

"Hm… this what you want?" He asks as he adds pressure to her clit.

"Y-yes," she says as she shuts her eyes and bites down on her lip to hold in all the noise she would be making.

"Feel good?" He whispers in her ear before he starts to nibble on it a bit.

"So good," she whispers as her hips starts to move all on their own.

"Want more?" He asks.

"Yes," she nods as her fingers dig into the leather seat in anticipation.

He slides a finger inside of her, eliciting a quiet gasp from her lips, while he continues rubbing at her clit with the palm of his hand.

"Yes," she moans. "Yes," she says again. "God Sam," she says as she buries her face in his neck and starts to bite at his shirt to keep herself quiet.

"Like that?" He asks with a cocky grin. He feels her nod against him and he adds another finger. Meanwhile, her nails are digging into his arm and he can feel her panting against his shoulder while he pumps his fingers in and out of her, still paying quite a bit of attention to her clit.

When he hooks his fingers and adds some more pressure, she comes undone instantly. She's clenching around him and digging her fingers into him while taking a big chunk of his shirt in her mouth. And luckily the cabby has the music turned up because even with his shirt in her mouth, she's still making a bit of noise.

When she finally comes down from it, he pulls away and fixes her dress a bit before kissing her temple, while she continues to try and catch her breath. "Do you know how sexy you are?" he murmurs into her ear.

Andy smiles in response and as Sam runs a hand through her hair. "I can't believe you just did that," she comments as she shakes her head at him while a smirk plays on his lips.

"You didn't seem to mind a few seconds ago," he points out with a cocky smile.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Did I made the right choice with Celery?" Oliver asks Sam as the two of them are drinking beers in Oliver's powerless cabin while Epstein and Diaz are God knows where.

"Yes," Sam replies, after taking a second to consider the question.

"How do you know that?" Oliver questions.

"A feeling," Sam shrugs. "I look at the two of you together and I know she's right for you."

"Like you and McNally," Oliver retorts.

"Exactly," Sam agrees. And yeah, Sam is instantly regretting his words because now Oliver is giving him this look. He's grinning ear to ear, like maybe this whole thing was just a ruse to get him to talk about Andy and now that it worked, he can't hold in the excitement.

"You and your rookie… seems like you're still going strong," Oliver comments, deciding to start this whole thing off easy so Sam doesn't spook.

"We are," Sam shrugs before he takes a big sip of his beer.

"It's just… it's a bit surprising, you know?" Oliver mentions. "It's all so unlike you… I mean, you're _always_ together… I keep waiting for you to get bored," he adds.

"Well, she's just not boring," Sam replies with a small smile.

"No… no, she isn't," Oliver chuckles. "You're really serious about her, aren't you?" He questions, a beat later.

"Of course I am," Sam responds, without a second thought.

His words take Oliver by surprise, but he tries his best to maintain his poker face. "So… what about the future… you ever think about that?" He asks, hoping that he's not pushing his luck with the question.

"Sure," Sam shrugs as he takes a sip of his beer.

"Really?" Oliver asks with surprise.

"Yeah," Sam confirms. "I think about lots of things," he adds, attempting to down-play his admission.

"So… house, marriage, kids… you've thought about all of that?" Oliver probes. "You want all that with her?"

Sam glances over at his friend and briefly considers making some kind of joke, but eventually, he decides to just be truthful. "Yeah, I do… I mean… I can't imagine wanting it with anyone else," Sam remarks. "So… yeah… I want all of that with her someday," Sam adds. And he kind of surprises himself with his honesty.

He can tell that Oliver is a bit stunned as well, but he quickly takes a sip of beer and schools his features. "But not right now?" Oliver inquires.

Sam sits there, eyeing Oliver, for a moment as he debates whether he should continue this conversation.

"I don't know… I mean, last month we… we had a pregnancy scare…" Sam begins to explain.

"Shit, really?" Oliver interrupts.

"Yeah, but when we found out that she wasn't pregnant… there was this part of me that was… I don't know… kind of disappointed," Sam confesses. And again, he really has no idea what is making him spill his guts right now.

"Wow," Oliver remarks, seemingly unsure what else to say.

"Yeah, and last week… when we took Christian to the park… I just kept thinking that it was… really nice, you know?" Sam tells him. "I thought… someday, I'd like to be at that park with her again, but instead we'd be pushing _our_ kid on the swing," He continues. And when he finally glances back over at Oliver, he can see the shock on his face. And this time, he's not even trying to hide it.

"Wow… Sammy… uh… wow," Oliver stutters. Yeah, he really wasn't expecting him to be so open about this.

"I know," Sam agrees as he takes a sip of his beer.

"Sammy, if that is really what you want… if _she_ is who you want it with… then you should go for it," Oliver advises. "Maybe not marriage and kids right off the bat, but… you know… you gotta keep moving forward," he adds. "I mean… what are you waiting for?"

Sam considers the question for a moment, but ultimately he just shrugs in response.

Because the truth is, he's honestly not sure.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Hey," Andy greets Sam with a smile as he walks through his bedroom door. He had planned to get home from Oliver's cabin earlier, but the traffic was horrendous, so it's well past eleven and Andy is already tucked into his bed for the night.

"Hey," he replies as he leans over to give her a kiss. "Missed you," he adds in between a few more kisses.

"Did you have a good time?" She asks, when he pulls away to start getting undressed.

"Well, it was a little bit of a shit show, but yeah… it ended up being pretty nice," he replies.

"What happened?" She questions.

"The generator blew so the place had no power… we tried to fix it but Oliver barely had any tools… and then he pretty much electrocuted me," he explains.

"What?!" She says with a bit of a laugh.

"Oh that's nice, you're laughing," he remarks with a playful roll of his eyes.

"Are you okay?" She wonders in between a few giggles.

"Yeah," he replies.

"So, did you get it fixed?" She asks.

"Eventually," he tells her.

"Well, that's good," she comments.

"Mhm," he responds before running into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

A couple minutes later, he comes back into the room, slides into bed with her and gives her another kiss. "So, how was your weekend?" He questions as he gets his hands on her and pulls her close.

"Pretty boring… I worked on Saturday and absolutely _nothing_ happened… it was awful," she comments. "And then today, I hung out here… did you notice that I cleaned?" She asks with a grin.

"It did look cleaner downstairs, thank you," he says before giving her another kiss. When he pulls away, he silently runs his fingers through her hair as his conversation with Oliver runs through his mind. "Hey… when's the last time you spent the night at your place?" He wonders.

Her eyebrows immediately furrow at his words and she seems to stare at him for a moment, trying to figure out why he's asking. "Um… I don't know," she replies.

"I think it's been about a month," he informs her.

"Yeah, maybe," she agrees as she starts to fidget with the bedsheets. "But um if you want some space or something, I can start staying at my place more," she offers, unable to hide her discomfort with the situation.

He lets out a laugh and maneuvers her so she's right on top of him. "Andy, that's the _last_ thing I want," he tells her as he pushes some hair behind her ear.

"Oh…" she replies, as a huge sense of relief courses through her. "So then why'd you bring it up?" She questions.

"Well, I was just thinking… you've pretty much taken over at least a third of my closet and sixty percent of my DVR… you use my washing machine four times for every one time you use yours… when you go grocery shopping, you put everything in _my_ cabinets… when we work different shifts, you still end up hanging out here most of the time…and when you get into one of your crazy cleaning frenzies, you spend three hours shampooing _my_ carpets and cleaning out _my_ fridge… so, I guess I was just thinking that… well, maybe we could go ahead and just make it official," he proposes.

"Official?" She questions.

"Yeah, like maybe you could move the rest of your stuff in here," he suggests. "Or better yet, maybe we could get our own place together?" He adds.

"Really? You wanna _live_ together?" She asks, her eyes widening with surprise. Sure, they've discussed the future… kids and marriage, but it always seemed so far away… like something that would happen eventually, but not right now. Except, moving in together… that's not some future plan, it _is_ right now. It's the two of them deciding that they want to move forward, that they truly want to start building a life together.

It's a big step, but she's ready for it.

"Yeah," he tells her. "I mean, we've basically been living together for months… the only time you're not here is when you're pissed at me," he says with a chuckle.

"Well, then where am I gonna go when I'm pissed?" She teases.

"You could always stay right here," he suggests as he slips his hands under her shirt and allows them to roam her back.

"That would probably be the more adult thing to do, wouldn't it?" She asks.

"Yeah, probably," he agrees with a smile.

"And when I'm _really_ pissed, I could always run away to Traci's," she quips.

He playfully rolls his eyes at her, but ultimately decides to ignore the comment. "So does that mean you're in?" He asks.

"I'm definitely in," she grins.

"Good," he says before he leans in for a kiss and lets himself linger there for a moment. "We both have Thursday off, right?" he questions once he pulls away.

"Yeah," she confirms.

"Maybe we could meet with a realtor and start looking at some places," he suggests.

"Wow… you're really serious about this," she comments, surprised at how quickly this is all happening.

"Oh… well if you want to wait a bit, we could do that," he offers with a shrug.

"No, Thursday is perfect," she grins.

"Yeah?" Sam asks with a smile.

"Yeah," she confirms.

"Thursday it is, then."

=======REWRITTEN=======

"It's perfect, don't you think?" She asks as she does a little spin, in the open family room/dining area, with her arms all the way out.

It's three weeks and eight condos later and they've finally found the perfect place. It's in their price range and it's got everything they want. Lots of natural light, an open floor plan, a big balcony, a parking garage, and it's only a fifteen minute drive to the division. It's definitely perfect.

"Yeah, it is," Sam agrees as he watches her with an affectionate smile.

"So?" She replies as she walks right up to him.

That's when he gets a silly grin on his face, picks her up and takes a couple steps towards the kitchen so he can put her down on the counter. "So… I think this is the one," he tells her as he steps in between her legs and squeezes her thighs.

"This is the one," she repeats as she throws her arms around his neck. "We're really moving in together," she beams, still a little amazed by the whole thing.

"Yeah, we really are," he agrees, still in a bit of disbelief himself.

Her smile widens and she leans in to give him a kiss. "Okay, Swarek, let's go buy this place," she declares, excitedly.

He lets out a laugh. "Let's go," he replies before helping her off the counter.

=======REWRITTEN=======

I'm not especially thrilled with this chapter because it's so choppy, but I hope there was at least some good stuff in it.

In my opinion, the next chapter is much better.

However, I'm starting to get to the end of all my pre-written chapters, so I need ideas!

Please review!


	32. Surprise Guest

Well, here is another nice long chapter for you!

Hope you enjoy!

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Hi," Sam says as he answers his phone. And it's only one word, but after hearing the tone of his voice, she instantly knows that something isn't right.

"Hey, everything okay?" She asks as she walks out of the locker room and heads down the hall. Her shift just ended and she had been planning on catching a ride to Sam's and hanging out with him for the rest of the afternoon.

"Um…" he begins, as she hears him walking around his house. "Yeah uh… my mother is here," he tells her after he closes a door, presumably shutting himself in his bedroom for some privacy.

"Oh um… wow," she replies, unsure what else to say. While she doesn't know much about his mother, she does know that Sam hasn't seen or spoken with her in over a year. Due to her struggles with drug addiction and the fact that Sam stopped giving her money a few years ago, their relationship has been pretty strained.

"Yeah, she's not doing too well," he explains.

"What happened?" She questions, clearly concerned. She can tell he's closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose right now. He's definitely stressed and she just hates that he's dealing with whatever this is alone.

"She's in really bad withdrawal and she's completely broke… she got evicted a few months ago and has been living in her car, but apparently it's about to get repossessed," he relays.

"Jesus," Andy comments, knowing how difficult this situation with his mom has been on him. She can only imagine how he's feeling right now.

"Yeah," Sam agrees. "It took a couple hours, but she finally agreed to go back to rehab," he tells her.

"Well, that's good… when is she going?" She wonders.

"I'm trying to find a place with an empty bed," he informs her. "Been making phone calls for the past two hours."

"Well… do you need anything? Want me to come over? I can help make some calls," she offers.

"No, that's okay," he declines. "I think I found a place, I'm just waiting for them to call back and confirm… but I'll call you later, okay?" He tells her.

"Okay," she responds, trying her best not to sound disappointed. She knows he's got a lot on his mind and the last thing she wants is for him to be worrying about her feelings, she just wishes he'd let her be involved in this kind of stuff. She really just wants to be there for him, but that's one thing that's always been difficult for him.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye," he says.

"Bye," she answers before they both hang up the phone.

And then she basically spends the next seven hours waiting around for his call. Throughout the day, she considers going shopping with Traci and grabbing some dinner with her Dad, but ultimately, she declines. Even though she's fairly sure he won't, she just wants to make sure that she's available if Sam needs her.

But then, eleven o'clock rolls around and he still hasn't called. She briefly wonders if she should call him, but in the end, she decides not to. He said he would call her and she knows that he will if he wants to talk. And if he doesn't, then she shouldn't bother him.

So, she eventually ends up falling asleep with her hand clutched tightly around her phone, after turning the volume all the way up. She's pretty sure he won't call, since he hasn't already, but she wants to make sure she hears it just in case.

=======REWRITTEN=======

She's not sure what time it is when she feels a pair of arms wrap around her in the dark. At first, she thinks she may be dreaming, but as she pulls herself from sleep and opens her eyes, she is greeted to Sam's hand pushing some hair out of her face as he watches her wake up.

"Hey," she says in her sleep-laced voice.

"Hey," he replies, as his fingers slide down her neck, graze her back and land on her waist. "Sorry I woke you," he apologizes.

"It's okay. I'm glad you did… I'm glad you're here," she assures him with a smile. "Did you find a bed?" She asks.

"Yeah," he nods. "Found one about an hour and a half away… just got back from dropping her off," he explains.

"That's good… how is she?" She questions.

"As good as can be expected, I guess," he shrugs.

"And how are _you_?" She wonders, as she runs her fingers through his hair.

"Much better now," he promises with a small smile.

She briefly smiles at that, but she knows there's more that needs to be said. "Do you want to talk about anything?" She probes.

"No… just wanna lie here with you and fall asleep," he tells her as he pulls her closer to him. "Been a long day," he adds.

"I know, it's just… you know you can talk to me about this stuff, right?" She asks. "I mean, I know it's not exactly the same situation, but I'm not completely unfamiliar with how you're feeling," she reminds him.

"I know," he promises as he maneuvers her around so she's half on top of him. "I love you," he tells her, cluing her in that he's pretty much done talking about this.

She lets out a sigh at his words. There's so much more she wants to say and for a moment, she considers whether she should, but ultimately, she just hugs him a bit tighter and rests her head on his chest. "Love you too," she promises.

=======REWRITTEN=======

The next morning, she wakes up to his dark brown eyes watching her and her legs tangled with his.

"Morning," she says with a sleepy smile.

"Morning," he replies with a small smile of his own.

"How long have you been up?" She wonders when she notices the lack of sleep in his eyes.

"A while," he replies.

"Trouble sleeping?" She assumes.

"Yeah, I guess," he shrugs.

She lets out a sigh as she runs her fingers down his chest. "You wanna talk about it now?" She questions.

"What is there to talk about?" He retorts. "I've been dealing with this for years… I'm used to it," he adds.

"I know, but it doesn't mean you should keep it all in… it really does help to talk about it," she offers.

"It's fine… _I'm_ fine," he dismisses.

She watches him for a moment as she debates whether she should say anything else, but eventually, she decides that she just has to. "Look… if you really don't want to talk about it then we don't have to, but… you're obviously upset and I just… I wish you'd let me help," she tells him.

"Andy, I'm fine… _really_ ," he assures her.

"Sam, you're not fine… how _could_ you be?" She questions.

"Andy…" he begins, although he doesn't have much else to say.

She eyes him for a moment, clearly trying to figure out the best way to go about this. "Hey, you… you know I love you, right?" She asks, eventually. "And that you can talk to me about anything? Whatever's on your mind… whatever you're feeling… you can talk to me about it… you know that, right?" She adds.

"I know," he replies with a nod.

She waits for him to say something else, but after a few seconds of silence, she realizes that he's not going to. "But there's nothing you want to say?" She probes.

"No," he responds, simply.

She blows out a defeated breath and attempts to collect her thoughts. "I… I'm just not sure why you're so hesitant to talk to me about this part of your life," she muses. "It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong," she admits.

His eyes widen and he seems rather taken back by her comment. "Andy, you're not doing _anything_ wrong," he assures her.

"It just seems like you're still not confident enough in our relationship to let me see the parts of your life that you perceive to be… I don't know… flaws or… or baggage… I mean, what am I supposed to think?" She questions. "There must be some reason that you don't trust me enough to talk to me about this stuff… there must be something that I'm doing… or _not_ doing," she adds.

"Andy, God, I promise, you're n _o_ t doing anything wrong… you're perfect, okay? This is just… how I am," he reasons. "You know, I… I told you before that I've lost a lot because of my family and… and I guess it's still hard for me to forget about that and just trust that it won't happen again," he tries to explain.

"Sam, it _won't_ …. not with me," she promises. And she watches as he nods his head, but she knows she needs to say more. "I mean… do you honestly believe that I would throw away the best relationship I've ever been in… the man I love more than I've ever loved anyone… just because his family isn't perfect?" She asks. "Because I wouldn't," she adds. "And it just sucks that you don't know that," she tells him.

He takes a deep breath and just looks at her for a moment as he works out what he wants to say. "I guess… I guess I've just never had anything like this before… someone who cares enough to see past the bad stuff… even with my family, I never felt like I had that unconditional love growing up… so I think it's just hard for me to really believe it… even though you've never given me a reason not to," he continues. "But I _am_ trying," He promises.

"Sam…" she begins, although she's not sure how to follow it up. Thinking of Sam and his childhood, it just makes her heart ache. "Sam, you have that with me, okay? You _do_ ," she promises.

She watches as a smile crosses his lips as he cups her jaw and swipes his thumb along her cheek. "You have that with me, too, you know," he tells her before he leans in and gives her a lingering kiss. "I love you," he murmurs against her lips.

"I love you, too," she assures him. "So much," she adds before she pulls her head back to look at him. "Seriously… you know that, right?"

"Yeah," he says with a nod and a smile as he pushes some hair behind her ear. "I do."

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Andy asks Oliver as the two of them are patrolling the streets three days later.

Oliver eyes her skeptically, for a moment, as he finishes chewing the blueberry muffin she brought him. "What's up, McNally?" He asks.

"Um… so…. does Sam ever talk to you about his family?" She wonders.

"Not really, why?" Oliver asks.

"Well, he won't talk to me about it… and I'm just worried that he's keeping it all in," she explains. "I don't know what I can do to get him to open up," she adds.

"I've known Sammy a long time and that's just who is he… he's a private person and it's hard for him to talk about a lot of stuff, so he keeps most of it to himself… I think you just have to be patient and make sure that he knows you're there for him if he does want to talk," Oliver replies.

"Yeah…" Andy responds, seemingly not thrilled with Oliver's answer.

"Look McNally, like I said, Sammy and I have known each other for a pretty long time and I'll tell you… it's obvious to everyone just how much you mean to him… as long as we've been friends, I've never seen him be even a little bit serious about a woman, but then you came along and… believe it or not, he _has_ let you in… more than he's ever let anyone else in, so don't give up on him," he tells her.

"I won't," she assures him. "I just hate seeing him like this… and I feel like nothing I do is enough," she admits.

"Andy, look… just you being there for him… that's enough, trust me," Oliver guarantees.

"Yeah…" Andy nods. "It's just… after everything he's done for me… all of the times he's been there when I needed him… I just wish I could do more… I wish he would _let_ me do more," she adds.

"I know," Oliver replies. "Someday he will."

"You think so?" Andy asks, as she is still rather skeptical herself.

"Yeah, you just gotta keep trying, McNally," he instructs.

"Yeah, okay," she agrees.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Hey," Sam greets her after she uses her key to unlock his front door and then steps through the threshold of his condo.

"Hey," she replies with a warm smile as he walks up to her and wraps his arms around her.

"How was your shift?" He asks before he buries his head in her neck and places a few chaste kisses there.

"It was okay... rode with Oliver… missed you," she tells him as she tilts her head to give him better access.

"Missed you too," he murmurs against her skin.

"How's your mom?" She wonders as she pulls away from him slightly, so she can get a good look at his face. It was Sam's day off today, so he planned to spend most of it visiting his mother at the rehab facility.

"She's okay… she's still detoxing, but they're giving her comfort meds so she was feeling a little better," he explains.

"That's good," she says with a nod, hoping that he'll keep going.

"Yeah," he shrugs. "You hungry?" He questions.

She immediately sighs at his words as she can't help but feel disappointed. She just has no idea what to do. She feels like she's continuously failing tests that she doesn't even know she's taking.

"Not really," she says with a shake of her head.

"You okay?" He asks, furrowing his brows as he senses the change in her demeanor. .

"Yeah," she tries to assure him, but even she knows that he won't buy it.

"Andy, talk to me," he implores.

And yeah, it takes everything in her to hold back the scoff. "Sam… I… I'm really trying to be patient, but… well, I've never been that good at being patient," she explains.

"What?" He asks, relatively confused by her words.

"I don't know what I have to do to get you to trust me," she exclaims.

"What? Of course I trust you," he assures her.

"Obviously not enough," she retorts.

"Oh," he says as he's finally clued in on what they're actually talking about here. "Andy, I'm just… I'm not good at this," he tells her. "What do you even want me to say?" He wonders.

"Whatever you want… whatever you need to get off your chest," she suggests.

"I… I don't know what that is," he explains.

She blows out a breath and searches his eyes a moment before she begins to slowly nod her head. "Okay," she tells him. "It's okay… I… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have said anything," she remarks.

He stands there for a few seconds, unsure what to do, before he takes a deep breath and grabs her hand. "I… I hate that you're upset because of me… I hate that I'm disappointing you," he expresses.

She's obviously surprised by his words and upon hearing them, she meets his eyes and takes his hand in both of hers. "Sam, you're _not_ disappointing me… and the reason I'm upset is because I know you're hurting and I'm just not sure how to help," she explains. "But I never should've said anything… the last thing I want is for you to be feeling guilty or worrying about me… these are _your_ feelings and you have the right to share them whenever and with whomever you want… I shouldn't be pressuring you," she apologizes. "I'm just feeling so helpless and I really hate it," she adds.

He squeezes her hand before pulling her a couple steps towards the couch so they can sit down. "I guess I'm not really sure what I'm feeling," he explains. "I don't really let myself think about it long enough to sort through it all," he adds.

She nods her head, but stays silent, not wanting to scare him off.

"I just want her to be okay… I want her to be the person she used to be… before the drugs," he relays. "But I'm not expecting much… I've gotten my hopes up before and it's never turned out the way I want," he reminisces. "She asked for my help, so I'm helping her… and if she _does_ stay clean, I'll be thrilled, but I also won't expect it to last forever… I've been through this too many times with her to actually think it won't end exactly the same as it always has," he continues.

"I guess I've just forced myself to be numb to it all… that's why I never want to talk about it… because, once I do… then I actually have to think about it… and then I just… I can't stop feeling guilty," he explains.

"Sam, none of this is your fault," she assures him.

He takes a deep breath and pushes some hair out of Andy's face as he looks into her eyes, all the while fighting the urge to change the subject. "No, it is," he admits, despite every bone in his body telling him not to.

"What? Why?" She questions.

He blows out a breath and prepares himself for what he's about to tell her.

"Growing up… my mom… she wasn't perfect, but she always loved my sister and I," he explains. "There were times that she would drink too much and nod off in the middle of my bedtime story or when she was a little too hungover to make breakfast, but only ever happened when my father was out of prison… I always used to think that she was just so much happier when he wasn't around," he comments.

"But when I was about sixteen, my dad had been home for about a year and my mom was drinking more than she ever had… and my sister wasn't doing well, either," he adds. "At the time, I was so sure that if I just got them away from him, all of our problems would be solved," he explains.

"Anyway, later that year, he was arrested for an armed robbery and got six months," Sam continues. "He swore up and down that he was innocent… that he had an alibi… he kept telling the cops that he was with me," he adds. "But when they asked me about it, I told them that he was lying… and they arrested him the next morning."

"And then, for a while, things at home were so much better, but… but then he got in a fight and ended up killing the other guy, so my dad got twenty years added to his sentence… and after that, my mom just spiraled," he conveys. "She graduated from booze to pills and everything went downhill from there," he explains.

"So, you feel guilty for telling the police?" Andy assumes, but then doesn't wait for him to respond. "Sam, that was the right thing to do… the way your mom reacted, it's not your fault. You shouldn't feel guilty for that," she insists.

He just sits there and stares at her for what feels like forever and she's not sure what he's thinking, but she decides to just let him work it out. Eventually, he takes a deep breath, seemingly preparing himself for whatever he's about to tell her. "The things is… that afternoon… my dad… he _was_ with me," he admits as he anxiously watches her reaction.

And yeah, that's not at all what she was expecting to hear.

Sam continues to watch her. He's desperately trying to figure out what she's thinking. Did he divulge too much? Did he just talk himself out of being with her? He's not sure.

He's really trying, but the look on her face is so difficult to read and she's not saying anything. Yeah, she's basically stunned.

"More than you wanted to know?" He asks, carefully, after several seconds go by.

She glances up at him and immediately senses the concern written all over his face. She can tell how anxious he is and she has this sudden urge to comfort him.

"No," she assures him with a shake of her head. She quickly swings a leg over his lap and straddles him, while wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm glad you told me," she tells him.

She attempts to soothe him by running her fingers through the hair on the back of his head, but he's giving her this questioning look, so she decides to continue. "Sam, I can only imagine what your father put all of you through if you felt like that was your only option," she tells him as her thumb grazes his jaw and her eyes rake over his features. "And I know you think your mom started using because of you, but that's not true… that was _her_ decision. And your father… he could've been out in six months, but he's still in jail because he _killed_ someone. That was _his_ decision… They were both adults who made poor choices and you were just a kid trying to protect his mother and sister… you've got to stop blaming yourself," she adds. "What you just told me… it means a lot to me that you did… and it doesn't change anything between us," she assures him.

As stunned as she was by his admission, he's about five times as stunned by her reaction. He just told her his biggest secret- the worst thing he's ever done, and she's just sitting on his lap and telling him that she still loves him and she doesn't think any less of him. It's all just a bit surreal.

So yeah, he's not sure how much time goes by that he's just staring at her, but he honestly can't even come up with the words to describe how absolutely amazing she is and how much he loves her.

"Sam?" She says, after it's been almost a minute.

"I love you so much," he tells her as he cups her jaw and kisses her. And she can feel him pour all of his emotions into the kiss and she just soaks it all up.

"I love you, too," she murmurs against his lips.

He smiles and pulls her body even closer, refusing to let go of her. He continues to kiss her for another couple minutes before he ultimately picks her up off the couch and carries her to his bedroom.

And soon, their clothes are scattered all over his floor and he's placing kisses all over her body while telling her over and over again how much he loves her and how amazing and perfect she is.

And of all the different ways they've had sex, she can't remember a time that it was ever like this. This is raw and emotional. It is intense and meaningful. And it is also a little bit heart breaking. But she just immerses herself in all of it and enjoys the fact that he is finally letting her see this other part of himself, a part that he has kept hidden, from her and everyone else, for so long.

And after it's over, he's looking at her with this strange expression… like he's trying to figure out if she's still okay, if something has changed, if maybe he let her see too much.

So, she just smiles up at him and lets her fingers gently graze the side of his face. "I love you," she promises.

She can feel the sigh of relief escape his body as a small smile slips from his lips. "I love you, too," he tells her as he cups the right side of her jaw.

Her smile widens and she lifts her head from the pillow and kisses him as she wraps her hand around the back of his neck. His arm slides around her back and he holds her there for a few extra seconds before reluctantly letting her go. Eventually he rolls off of her and pulls her into his side, so his arm is around her and she's resting her head on his chest.

Sam typically sleeps with his arms wrapped around her, but tonight he's holding her tighter than he ever has. It's like he can't stand even an inch of space between them, not that she minds. Eventually, the two of them fall asleep like that- completely wrapped up in each other. Except there's obviously something going on in his subconscious because every time she moves in her sleep, even just a bit, his grip tightens so much so that it wakes her. It's as if he's afraid that she's going to sneak out and leave in the middle of the night. It's as if he's not entirely sure that she'll still be there in the morning.

So, every time he does it, she tightens her own grip on him and places a few kisses on his chest. And, eventually, he loosens his grasp enough so she can get back to sleep.

=======REWRITTEN=======

When she wakes up the next morning, he's still got his arms wrapped around her and he's pretty much intent on never letting her go. But she kind of has to pee, so she attempts to wake him up by placing kisses on his shoulder, neck, jaw, etc. Finally, he shifts a little and she's pretty sure she can see the memories of last night flooding into his brain because he immediately gets tense and then his eyes bug open like he's searching for her. And the look on his face when he sees her smiling up at him… it's like he's never been happier to find her lying beside him. It makes her think that he really did expect her to sneak out last night.

"Morning," she says, grinning up at him.

"Morning," he replies as he leans in and gives her a passionate kiss. And when he pulls away, he stops to push some hair out of her eyes. "Do you know how much I love you?" He wonders.

She smiles at him and interlocks their fingers. "Probably as much as I love you," she tells him.

He takes a moment to just beam at her before pulling her right against him and giving her a few more kisses. Eventually, he pries himself away and runs his fingers through her hair. "You have Saturday off, right?" He wonders.

"Uh… yeah," she says with a nod.

"Well, I was thinking about driving up to visit my mom in the morning… you wanna come?" He asks.

Her eyes immediately widen with surprise and she tries not to look too eager. "Really? You sure?"

"Yeah," he confirms as his hands travel down her body. "I'd like you to meet her," he adds.

"Okay," she agrees as a smile slowly spreads across her lips. "I'd love to."

=======REWRITTEN=======

Well, I hope everyone liked this. PLEASE send some reviews my way :)


	33. Introductions

I know it's been a while, but I was having a lot of trouble getting this chapter the way I wanted it and eventually, I just had to give up and post it lol.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Hello?" Sam says as he answers his cell phone, while sitting outside the station, in his truck, as he waits for Andy to finish her shift.

"Hey Sammy," his mother greets him, seemingly in a good mood.

"Hi Mom," he replies. "How are you?" He asks.

"I'm great," she tells him. "I had some time to kill before group, so I thought I'd see how you're doing," she adds.

"I'm good… I'm just picking up Andy from work," he tells her.

"Oh… and how _is_ Andy?" She asks with a teasing tone.

"She's good," he replies, with a roll of his eyes. His mother has been teasing him about Andy ever since he let it slip that he was seeing someone. "I was actually thinking about bringing her with me when I go visit you this weekend," he says, casually.

" _Really_?" She asks, obviously surprised. She can barely get Sam to divulge a thing about Andy, so she definitely wasn't expecting introductions.

"Yes," he says. "If that's okay," he adds.

"Of course it is… I can't wait to meet her," she responds, eagerly.

"Okay good," he says with a nod. "I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be weird for you," he explains.

"Eh it'll be fine," she tells him with a dismissive wave of her hand. "When you've been in rehab as many times as I have, you get used to awkward meetings over stale coffee in the TV room," she says with a laugh.

And yeah, now Sam is quickly feeling slightly less confident about the whole thing. He's suddenly realizing that maybe introducing Andy to his mother in that kind of setting is not really the best way to go about it. What she's describing… that's really not how he wants it to go. "Okay, but let's try not to make this awkward, okay?" He requests. "I _really_ want it to go well," he tells her.

"Sammy, it'll be fine," she assures him. "Even though you've told me _very_ little about her… despite my constant begging," she says with a laugh. "It's very obvious how much she means to you, so I can only assume that she is an amazing woman and that you're worrying about nothing," she adds.

"Just… _please_ promise me that you'll be… uh…" he begins as he tries to come up with the right words.

"On my best behavior?" She assumes with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," he replies as nervously taps his fingers on his steering wheel. The moment it left his mouth, he knew she wasn't going to appreciate it.

"I'm not a child, Sammy," she chastises. "It'll be fine. Stop worrying."

"Okay," he agrees, although he's still feeling uneasy about all of this. "Then, we'll uh… we'll be there on Saturday… probably around eleven or twelve," he informs her.

"I'll be here," she responds with a bit of sarcasm.

"Yeah, okay… then uh… we'll see you then," he tells her as he sees Andy walking towards his truck. When they lock eyes, a big smile appears on her lips as she reaches for the door and then slides into the passenger seat.

"Okay. Bye Sammy," she says.

"Bye Mom," he replies before hanging up the phone and throwing it in his cup holder. "Hey," he greets Andy as she is buckling her seatbelt.

"Hey," she says with a smile. "How's your mom?" She asks.

"She's good… excited about Saturday," he tells her, trying not to expose his anxiety about the whole thing.

"Oh yeah?" She says as her smile widens.

"Yeah," he nods as he reaches over and gently squeezes her thigh. "She can't wait to meet you," he adds as he puts the truck in drive and pulls out of the parking lot.

"I'm excited, too," Andy tells him. "I've already got a list going in my head of all the questions I want to ask her," she adds, cheerfully.

"Seriously?" Sam asks as he looks over at her. And the expression on his face causes Andy to burst out laughing.

"No," she assures him. "But the look on your face… you were horrified!" She giggles.

"Funny," he retorts with a roll of his eyes. "Maybe I'll just leave you home," he threatens with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Okay, okay, I promise I'll be good," she swears as she tries to hold in her laughter.

"Mhm…" He says in response.

Andy chuckles as she leans forward to play around with the radio before finding the perfect station and settling back into her seat. "So, what time do we have to leave tomorrow?" She wonders.

"Uh… I don't know… maybe ten?" He suggests. "Visiting hours are until four, so we can pretty much leave when we want… but I did tell her we'd probably be there around lunchtime," he explains.

"Okay, ten sounds good," she replies.

"Kay," he agrees, distractedly, as he is trying to make a left hand turn in a busy intersection.

Once he is able to make the turn, he places his hand back on her thigh and starts to absent-mindedly circle his thumb against her jeans. She lets him do it for a minute or two before she takes his hand and interlocks their fingers.

"Hey," she says, in an effort to grab his attention while they are waiting at a red light.

"Yeah?" He replies as he turns his head to meet her eyes.

"Thanks for inviting me tomorrow," she tells him as she squeezes his hand. "It just… it means a lot to me," she adds.

The two of them quickly exchange a smile before he pulls her hand to his lips and places two quick kisses on the back of her palm.

He's still not completely sure that all of this is really a good idea, but he knows he can't take it back now. All he can do is pray that tomorrow goes well.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"You seem nervous," Andy points out as the two of them are driving up to meet Sam's mom the next morning.

"And you seem abnormally excited," Sam retorts without taking his eyes off the road. She's been practically bouncing up and down all morning and honestly, the more excited she is, the more nervous he's getting. He's just really hoping this doesn't all blow up in his face. His mom can be a little bit all over the place sometimes and to say that he's concerned would be an understatement. There are moments when she seems like a normal mother, when she can be warm and relaxed and she can sit down and have an entirely regular conversation with you. And then there are other moments when she can be kind of a loose cannon, when she is impulsive, eccentric and totally unfiltered. And then there are moments when she can be empty and distant and completely uninterested in everything and anything. He's just not sure which one of those he'll get today and yeah… he's just nervous.

"I am," she replies, before she stops and watches him, waiting for his response. But when a full ten seconds go by without one, she speaks up. "So… _are_ you nervous?" She prompts.

As soon as the question leaves her lips, he blows out a breath and briefly looks over at her. "Yeah," he admits, once his eyes are back on the road.

"Why?" She questions. "I'm pretty sure _I'm_ the one who is supposed to be nervous," she adds in an effort to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I just… I want this to go well," he tells her.

"I know… so do I," she tells him. "But, you know… even if it doesn't, that's okay," she assures him.

"Yeah…" he responds, although he doesn't sound too sure.

"Seriously… what's bothering you?" She asks. "What do you think is going to happen?"

"Nothing," he says with a shake of his head as he reaches over and grabs her hand. "I just don't want you to be disappointed," he admits. "My mom… she's just… she's hard to explain," he tells her. "You never really know what you're going to get with her."

"Well, whatever we get… it'll be okay… seriously, don't worry," she tells him as she strokes the back of his hand with her thumb.

"I'll try," he offers, although he already knows that it's futile. He's going to keep worrying until they're both back in the truck and on their way home.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Ready?" Andy asks as she squeezes his hand as they wait next to the front desk, while one of the orderlies goes to find Sam's mom.

"Yeah," he replies, a bit hesitant. She can see the nerves radiating from his body and she just wishes she could calm him down.

"It'll be fine," she promises. "Whatever happens," she adds, with her most reassuring smile.

He smiles back at her and squeezes her hand before leaning down for a kiss.

"Sammy!" Sam's mom exclaims as she walks into the room, causing both of them to pull back.

"Uh hi Mom," he greets her with a hug, still a bit frazzled.

" _Hi_ ," she says with a teasing tone that makes Sam groan on the inside.

"Mom, this is Andy," Sam introduces her as he pulls away from her embrace. "Andy, this is my mom, Lynn."

"Hi, it's so nice to meet you," Andy says with a genuine smile as she holds her hand out.

Lynn beams at Andy and takes her hand before turning to look at her son. "She's so pretty, Sammy," Lynn tells her son, as if Andy isn't even in the room.

Sam smiles while playfully rolling his eyes a bit. "I know, Mom."

"I'm so glad you could come," Lynn says as she turns her attention back to Andy. "Every time Sammy visits, I try to pry for information about you, but he's been pretty tight-lipped," she continues as she shakes Andy's hand. "I was starting to think he just made you up to appease his mother," she adds with a laugh, causing Sam to roll his eyes again.

"Nope, I'm real," Andy jokes as Lynn releases her hand.

"Good thing," she quips. "I was starting to worry that this one would be single forever," she jokes as she gestures towards Sam.

"Funny," Sam replies, sarcastically, as Andy's smile widens and Lynn lets out a laugh.

"But it looks like he was just waiting around for someone special," Lynn remarks as she beams at Andy and then at her son.

Andy is basically glowing as she meets Sam's adoring eyes while he runs a hand down her back.

"You two would make some really beautiful babies," Lynn comments, effectively snapping them out of their private moment.

"Jesus, Mom," Sam groans.

"What? I'm sixty years old. I'd like to become a grandmother before I die," she informs him. "And you're not getting any younger, Sammy," she reminds him.

"Neither is Sarah… why don't you bother her about this?" Sam asks, making a conscious effort not to glance in Andy's direction. Although, he's fairly certain that she's rather amused by all of this.

"Because she isn't seeing anybody and you are," Lynn retorts.

"You said something about coffee on the phone yesterday," Sam quips, trying his best to change the subject.

Lynn chuckles as she shakes her head at her son. "Yes, we have coffee in the kitchen… it's edible, but it's definitely not great," she warns.

"That's fine," Sam assures her as he grabs Andy's hand and follows his mother down the hallway and into the kitchen.

As Andy and Lynn take a seat at one of the tables, Sam makes his way to the coffee pot and quickly makes three cups of coffee. Luckily, they have the stackable, Styrofoam coffee cups there and he is able to bring everyone their coffee in just one trip. But as he makes his way over to the table where Andy and his mother are sitting, he cringes at the word's coming out of his mother's mouth.

"See that girl over there?" Lynn asks as she gestures towards a girl sitting in the corner reading a book. The second Sam hears her, he knows that he won't love what she's about to say.

"Yeah," Andy replies with a shrug.

"She's pregnant," Lynn divulges. "And the baby isn't her husband's," she adds with a smirk and a wiggle of her eyebrows as Sam places the coffee cups on the table.

"Oh… uh… wow," Andy replies as Sam continues to cringe at his mother's gossip. It's something she always does whenever she goes to rehab. And whenever she does it, all he wants to do is ask her what she thinks everyone else says about _her_.

"She's only two months pregnant, but the doctors are pretty worried about the baby… you know, with all the drugs she's been doing," Lynn continues.

"Okay Mom, why don't we talk about something else?" He suggests as he takes a seat beside Andy.

"Sammy doesn't like it when I gossip," she explains to Andy. "But when you're only allowed one hour of TV time every day, there isn't much else to do in here when you aren't in groups or counseling," she adds.

"Yeah, it must get pretty boring," Andy replies.

"Oh you have no idea," Lynn agrees. "Luckily, my kids have been visiting me," she says with a smile as she glances at her son. "Sarah was here a couple days ago," she tells him.

"Oh yeah?" He responds.

"Yeah… when's the last time you saw her?" She wonders.

"Not for a while," he admits.

"I wish you two would try harder to get along," she comments. "You used to be so close when you were younger," she adds before she returns her attention to Andy. "When Sammy was little, he loved his sister like nothing else… he would always follow her around and pretty much do whatever she said… it was adorable," she grins. "Sometimes Sarah would take advantage and get him to help with her chores," she says with a laugh. "Remember that, Sammy?" She asks as she turns back towards him.

"I remember," he says with a nod.

"I wish you were still as close as you used to be," she remarks. "You really should reach out to her."

"I _have_ … numerous times… and she has my number if she wants to talk," Sam reminds her.

"C'mon Sammy, you know how hard it is for her… just promise me, you'll keep trying… you can't give up on family," she tells him.

Sam lets out a sigh before he nods his head in agreement. "Yeah, okay… I'll call her," he promises.

"Thank you," she says with a victorious smile on her face. "So, Andy… tell me about yourself… I want to know everything!" she declares.

Andy chuckles slightly as she glances at Sam and then back at Lynn. "Uh okay… where should I start?" She wonders.

"Tell me how you and Sammy met," Lynn suggests.

Andy grins at the suggestion and steals a teasing smirk at Sam before returning her attention to Lynn. "Well actually, that's quite a story…"

=======REWRITTEN=======

"Okay Sammy, I want to talk to Andy alone before you go," Lynn declares as it gets closer to four o'clock.

Sam gives her a weird look, like he's really not sure about the idea.

"Sam, it's fine," Andy assures him as she squeezes his knee under the table.

Sam eyes her for a moment before glancing at his mother. "Okay, I'll meet you at the front," he reluctantly agrees before he gets up and walks away.

"So…" Andy begins, having no idea what Lynn could want to say to her.

"So…" Lynn repeats with an amused grin. "Do you love him?" Lynn asks so abruptly that Andy is completely taken back for a moment.

"Yes," Andy responds with a smile and a nod.

She can see Lynn let out a sigh of relief as she absent-mindedly stirs her coffee. "He loves you, too… I can tell," she informs her.

"I know he does," Andy replies.

"He's told you?" Lynn asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yeah," Andy nods.

"Really?" She questions, her voice laced with surprise. "More than once?" Lynn probes.

"All the time," Andy tells her.

"Wow," Lynn remarks. "Sorry, I'm just a bit surprised… Sammy's always had trouble expressing himself," she explains.

"I know, but sometimes he just needs a little push," Andy comments.

"Well, I'm just glad that he finally has someone to give him a push," Lynn smiles, causing Andy to do the same. "I truly can't remember ever seeing him look so happy," Lynn tells her. "It was really great to see him like that," she adds before blowing out a breath. "I just… I know I've caused him so much pain in the past and… the childhood he had… the life he's had… he's been through so much and yet… the fact that he still turned out the way he did, despite all of it… it shows how remarkable he really is," Lynn continues. "But it seems like you know that."

"I do," Andy confirms with a smile.

"Good," Lynn says with a smile and a nod. "Sammy deserves someone who appreciates all of that about him and I'm just… I'm so glad he found that," she remarks.

The two woman exchange a smile before Lynn slaps a hand down on the table and starts to stand up. "Well, we better go find Sammy… I'm sure he's freaking out about the two of us alone together," she says with a laugh as she stands up and the two of them go on a search for Sam.

=======REWRITTEN=======

"So what were you two talking about?" Sam asks as he and Andy are walking, hand in hand, to the truck.

"Just how amazing you are," she says as she looks up at him with a grin.

He turns his head to glance at her, allowing his eyes to rake over her face as he tries to discern whether she's been truthful.

"Seriously," she adds in an effort to persuade him.

"Hm," he responds before he pulls his keys out of his pocket and unlocks his truck.

"You are, you know," Andy adds.

"So are you," Sam adds with a smile before he leans down and kisses her. Once they pull away, he opens his passenger door and allows Andy to hop in before he shuts it and makes his way around the truck. He quickly gets in on his side, starts the car, buckles his seatbelt and pulls out of his parking space.

"So that went well, don't you think?" Andy muses.

"Yeah, it did," Sam agrees. Truthfully, it went better than he ever could have hoped for. His mom really was on her best behavior. He'll have to remember to thank her for that the next time he talks to her.

"I told you, you had nothing to worry about," she reminds him.

"Yeah… you just never know with my mom," he replies.

"I get it," she tells him. "But I hope you know that, even if it had gone really badly… I mean, it would've sucked but it never would've affected things between us," she adds.

"I know," he replies as he reaches over the center console and interlocks their fingers. "I just didn't want you to be disappointed," he explains.

"I know," she responds. "I love you," she tells him with a smile.

"I love you, too."

=======REWRITTEN=======

Okay, so I kind of didn't really like this chapter. I kept wanting it to be so much better, but I just couldn't figure out how to make that happen and if I kept trying to tweak it, I never would've posted it.

Anyway, I hope it wasn't awful lol.

I will do better with the next chapter. And then the chapter after that is a good one, I promise!


	34. Moving In

So, full disclosure, I did not proofread this as much as I should have, so if there are lots of typos, PLEASE let me know and I'll go through it more thoroughly.

Anyway, here's the latest chapter…. Enjoy!

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Well Swarek, it's official," she announces as she waltzes over to him and wraps her arms around his neck. "We're living together," she grins.

"Yeah, we are," he beams as he gets his hands on her and pulls her close.

"How does it feel?" She wonders.

"Can't complain," he smirks as he pushes a lock of hair behind her ear.

She lets out a laugh before she stands on her toes and kisses him. "So… what do you wanna do now?" She wonders.

"Oh I have a long list of things I want to do," he flirts as his fingers slowly creep under her shirt.

"Oh yeah?" She grins. "Care to share?"

"Hm… well first, I think we're kind of obligated to christen every single inch of our new place and then we can probably go from there," he suggests with a playful smile.

"Obligated, huh?" She says with a giggle.

"Yep," he confirms with a nod as he squeezes her waist.

"Mm… okay," she chuckles. "But where should we start?" She wonders as she glances around the room while a smirk plays on her lips.

"Good question," he replies as he, too, starts to look around. "I think probably the kitchen table," he decides before he lifts her up, carries her to the table and places her down on top of it.

"Because it's closest?" She assumes with a knowing smile.

"Exactly," he says with a laugh as he starts to lift her shirt over her head.

"I think I'm going to like living with you," she muses once her shirt is in a pile on the floor.

"Yeah, me too," Sam agrees while he works on unbuttoning her shorts.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"So how was the first night at Casa McSwarek?" Traci wonders the next morning, as she and Andy are changing in the locker room before shift.

"Good," Andy replies, mid yawn.

"Tired?" Traci assumes.

"Yeah," Andy nods before she starts to dig through her locker.

"Having trouble sleeping at the new place or was Swarek just keeping you up?" Traci smirks.

"The second one," Andy answers with a laugh.

"Figures," Traci chuckles. "So… fun night?" She asks with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Mm… definitely," Andy grins.

"Am I gonna get details?" Traci questions.

Andy lets out a laugh before she takes a look around the locker room to see if anyone is within ear shot. "Sam's decided that we needed to christen every inch of our new place…" she begins, unable to keep the smile off her face.

"Of course he did," Traci chuckles.

"Yeah, and we… we made _quite_ the dent in the list last night," Andy explains with a smirk.

"How _much_ of a dent?" Traci wonders with a silly grin on her face.

"Hm… on the kitchen table, on the chaise… on the floor in the family room…" she lists as images of last night flood her mind.

"Ooh that's where you have that really soft carpet, right?" Traci questions.

"Yep," Andy nods with a grin.

"Sounds like an eventful night," Traci quips.

"It was," Andy confirms with a chuckle.

"What?" Traci asks when she sees the look on Andy's face.

"Nothing," Andy says with a shake of her head, although she's unable to hide the silly smile on her face.

"What?" Traci persists.

"I was just thinking about this morning," Andy blushes.

"Jesus, you two are insatiable," Traci laughs, causing Andy to join in as well.

"I know," Andy admits. "We can't help it," she giggles.

"Made another dent I assume?" Traci replies with a knowing look.

"Maybe," Andy grins, factiously.

"Do tell," Traci requests.

"Um well… it started in bed…" she begins with a sheepish smile. "And afterwards, we went to take a shower, but we got a little distracted and did it on the bathroom vanity," she confesses.

"It's a miracle you were on time," Traci says with a laugh.

"Sam set the alarm for a little bit earlier," Andy admits with a giggle.

"I'll bet he did," Traci quips.

Andy playfully rolls her eyes at her best friend as she buttons up her uniform and shuts her locker.

"So, I'd say the first night was a success," Traci assumes.

"Yeah, you could definitely say that," Andy confirms with a smile.

==============REWRITTEN=============

She's fumbling with the keys and trying her best to open the door but he is making it _unbelievably_ difficult. The way he's nipping at her neck, slipping his hands up her bare thighs, blowing warm breaths in her ear…

God, she seriously cannot get this damn door open.

"Sam. Help!" she pleads, getting more and more frustrated by the seconds. He lets out an amused laugh and of course his breath is hitting her neck and causing a shiver to go down her spine.

He takes the keys from her and attempts to slide the key into the lock, but now Andy is getting a bit of payback and being _seriously_ distracting. Her hands quickly slip underneath his shirt and begin to roam his chest while she takes his earlobe in between her teeth and starts to nibble.

He's _really_ trying to concentrate, but now her hands are sliding down his stomach, lower and lower, until her fingers graze his cock, causing a groan to leave his lips.

She giggles in response, obviously pleased with herself, as she gives him a gentle squeeze and kisses his neck. He makes a couple more attempts at getting the key into the door, but after another minute of just desperately wanting to get his hands on her, he throws the keys to the ground in frustration.

"Fuck it," he says as he lifts her up and pushes her against the door, allowing her legs to wrap around his waist.

"Sam!" she squeals in between giggles.

"Hm?" He asks with his lips pressed against her neck.

"Open the door!" she insists.

"Can't. I'm busy," he mumbles, before bucking his hips into her and making them both groan.

"So you're just going to do me against our front door?" She asks, incredulously.

"That's the plan," he smirks as his fingers skim her back before he starts to unzip her dress.

"Sam!" she squeals again.

"Shh…" he whispers.

"Sam. We _cannot_ do this," she tells him, sternly.

"We can if we're quiet. Everyone's in bed," he reminds her. It's true. Even though tonight was technically date night for them, it's really just Tuesday night and it's well past eleven o'clock. They have the day off tomorrow, but nobody else does.

"Sam, c'mon," she argues, although it's already become half-hearted.

"We've gotta cross the front door off the list," he reminds her as he pushes her dress up her body and squeezes her ass.

"Are you _serious_?" She questions, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Very," he responds as his hand travels up and down her thigh, causing goosebumps to follow in its trail.

"Ugh _fine_ , but we have to be quick!" She insists. Although, she's definitely rolling her eyes at herself as she says it. Sometimes, she feels like she should probably hate herself for how easy she is when it comes to him. But mostly, she kind of loves it. "And quiet!" She adds.

A smile immediately appears on Sam's lips, at the realization that she's giving in. "Somehow, I doubt that you're gonna be quiet," he teases as he pulls back to look at her while simultaneously slipping his hand in between her legs.

" _Sam_ , c'mon, hurry up!" She whines, getting impatient.

"God, I love you," he announces with a disbelieving shake of his head.

She immediately smiles at his words, momentarily calming down. "I love you, too," she replies before leaning in for a chaste kiss. "Now _please_ take off your pants!" She implores.

"If you insist."

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Oh my God, please tell me these are baby photos!" Andy declares as she pulls a photo album out of one of Sam's boxes. It's been about two weeks since they moved into their house and they still have a bit of unpacking to do. Recently, they made a deal that every night they would spend at least fifteen minutes unpacking boxes. It's actually been a pretty great system because usually, once they get started, they kind of get in the zone and go past the fifteen minute mark. And if they don't, well then, at least they got their fifteen minutes.

Sam looks up and glances at the photo album in her hands before allowing his eyes to drift to Andy, who is bouncing up and down on her toes and wearing a look of pure excitement on her face.

"Yeah, I think there's one or two baby pictures in there," he confirms, causing her to let out an enthusiastic squeal. "But don't get too excited… my parents didn't really take many pictures when I was growing up," he warns her as he comes closer.

"Okay, okay," she says as she takes a deep breath and attempts to calm herself down. "But we're looking at this right now," she announces.

"Whatever you say," he replies with an amused laugh before he takes a swig of his beer and then follows her over to the couch.

Seconds later, they are sitting beside each other and Andy is cracking the album open.

"Oh my God, look at you!" she exclaims when she sees the first photo. It's a picture of a maybe two year old Sam sitting in bed, wearing blue footy pajamas covered in fire engines. She spends a few seconds inspecting every inch of the picture with a grin on her face before she finally speaks up. "Pretty adorable," she comments as she glances over at him. "But we better not let anyone at 15 know that you used to root for the hose monkeys," she quips.

Sam rolls his eyes, but he's unable to keep the smile off his face.

Andy quickly flips the page to find a picture of Sam at around five years old. He's got an uneasy look on his face and he's wearing an ill-fitting button down shirt with a ragged pair of dress pants in addition to a blue clip on tie and some scuffed dress shoes. "Look at you all dressed up," Andy coos.

"I think this was the first time I went to visit my dad in prison," Sam mentions as he inspects the photo.

"Oh yeah?" Andy replies as she turns to look at him, patiently waiting for him to say more.

"Yeah… when I was two, he was sent to a prison over five hours away… and since my mom was working three jobs at the time, she couldn't really take us to visit," he explains. "At first, she would take us every few months when she had a day off, but then Sarah started school and my mom was working on the weekends… so over two years went by and I was so young that I didn't really have any memories of him," Sam continues. "Eventually, he got moved closer to home and my mom took us to visit… but for me, it felt like it was my first time meeting him and I was really nervous… I just remember that my mom was making such a big deal about it… she even went to the thrift store and got me those clothes and she made me get a haircut," he tells her.

"And how did it go?" She wonders.

"Actually… it was one of the best memories I have with my old man," he muses. "He got one of the guards to bring us some ice cream and we split a pint of pistachio," he recalls.

"That sounds nice," she comments with a smile.

"Yeah," he agrees as he meets her eyes with a smile. "Ready for the next one?" He asks, a few moments later, as he reaches over her and starts to flip the page.

"Of course!" She replies, eagerly, before he uncovers a picture of a very young Sam sitting in his high chair, kicking his feet, with a great big smile on his messy face, while a very young girl is trying to feed him. "Is that Sarah?" She questions.

"Yeah," he nods as his eyes trace over the page.

"That's cute that she used to feed you," Andy remarks.

"Yeah, she took care of me a lot when we were younger since my mom was working all of the time," Sam explains before he once again flips the page.

The next picture is a ten year old Sarah holding hands with a six year old Sam, apparently on their way to go trick or treating. Sam is wearing a ratty cowboy hat and equally ratty cowboy boots while a gold star cut out of construction paper is taped to his chest. Meanwhile, Sarah is simply wearing jeans with an old leather vest over a plaid button down while her hair is braided into two pigtails.

"Matching costumes?" Andy asks with a giggle.

Sam chuckles as he looks down at the photo. "Yeah, I really wanted to be a cowboy that year and I convinced Sarah to be a cowgirl," he says with an affectionate smile.

"That was nice of her," Andy comments.

"Yeah," Sam agrees.

"It seems like you two were really close," she notes as she turns towards him.

"Yeah, we were," he confirms with a nostalgic expression.

"Can I ask you something?" She wonders, a few seconds later.

"Sure," he replies.

"Do you ever think about reaching out to her?" She questions, remembering the comments his mother made when they went to visit her.

"Sometimes," he admits. "But if she wanted to hear from me, she'd reach out… she's the one who disappeared… she could call me any time, she knows that," he explains.

"Maybe she's afraid?" Andy suggests. "Or maybe she's too proud? Maybe she needs you to make the first move?"

"Maybe," he agrees. "Or maybe she just doesn't care to talk to me," he shrugs.

Andy shuts the photo album and runs her fingers through Sam's hair in the way that she knows he really likes. She can see the pain in his eyes and it's breaking her heart. It's obvious that his sister's disappearance from his life is still very painful for him and she wishes she could do something to make it better.

Eventually, she figures that maybe the best thing she can do for him is give him closure.

"You know… even if you're right… it still might be a good idea to reach out," she begins.

"How do you figure?" He asks with a quirked eyebrow.

"Well… even after everything that happened with my mom… I still don't regret letting her in my life… even though it was hurtful, I'm glad I did it because now I'm not wondering, you know?" She asks. "I have closure now," she explains. "Look, maybe you'll call your sister and it will go exactly how you think it will… and if it does, then at least you know you tried," she explains. "And then there's always the possibility that you'll call her and the two of you will reconnect again," she continues. "I mean… you won't know until you try," she says with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah," he says as he slowly nods his head. "I'll think about it," he promises.

"Okay," she agrees before she leans in and gives him a quick kiss. "Now, please tell me there are some really embarrassing ones in here," she says as she looks back at the photo album with a big grin.

Sam lets out a laugh and runs his hand down her back. "You never know," he says with a smile before he presses a kiss on the top of her head.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Hey," Andy greets Sam as she walks in the front door and tosses her bag on the kitchen table.

"Hey, how was yoga?" He asks as he walks towards her, meeting her halfway.

"Good," she replies before she stands on her toes and gives him a quick kiss.

"That's good," he responds once she pulls away to grab a water out of the fridge. "So um… I called Sarah," he mentions, casually.

"Oh?" She asks as she turns back towards him, obviously surprised by his admission. It's been almost a week since they looked through that photo album and they hadn't discussed Sarah since. She thought about bringing it up on more than one occasion, but the fact that Sam hadn't mentioned it made her think that he wasn't planning on reaching out and she didn't want to push. "How did it go?" She wonders.

"It uh… it went better than I thought it would," he admits. "She wants us to go get coffee or something this weekend."

" _Sam_ , that's great," she says with a big smile. She's honestly so relieved. She knows how much Sam misses his sister and the last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt, especially since she's the one who encouraged him to reach out.

"Yeah," he agrees as he runs his hand down the back of his neck.

"Do you know when you're going?" She probes.

"Sunday," he replies.

"Okay well, I'm working the early shift on Sunday, but if you need me to come for… I don't know… moral support or something, I can get someone to cover my shift," she offers.

"That's okay," he assures her. "Thanks, though," he adds with a slight smile.

"Okay… you sure?" She asks.

"Yeah," he responds with a nod. "I _do_ want you to meet her," he assures her. "I just think it might go better if it's just the two of us at first, you know?" He continues. "I think she'd feel more comfortable," he explains.

"Makes sense" she agrees as she wraps her arms around his neck. "I'm really glad it went well," she comments as she runs her fingers through his hair.

"Me too," he agrees before he pulls her into a hug.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Andy?" Sam calls out when he walks through the front door.

"Hey," she replies as she comes barreling down the stairs. "How did it go?" She questions.

"Good," he says with a smile and a nod.

"Yeah?" Andy says, hopefully.

"Yeah, it was really good," he confirms as he pulls her into a hug. "Thanks for convincing me to reach out to her," he tells her before he presses a kiss to her temple.

"I'm just glad it worked out," she remarks as she lets out a breath of relief.

"Me too," he agrees with a nod.

"So… tell me all about it… what'd you guys talk about?" She asks as she pulls him towards the couch.

"Uh… lots of stuff," he shrugs as they plop down beside each other. "We talked about our mom and she told me all about her new job," he tells her. "She's working as a photo journalist for this magazine… she's really excited about it," he adds.

"That's great," Andy comments.

"Yeah… and you know, we obviously talked about you," he adds as he pulls her legs into his lap.

"Oh?" Andy replies, as a smile appears on her lips.

"Yeah… she wants to meet you," he tells her. "Apparently, she went to visit our mom last week and she wouldn't shut up about you," he says with a chuckle. "Seems you made quite the impression," he adds with a smirk.

"You sound surprised," she retorts with a playful grin.

"Not at all," he assures her as he runs his hands up and down her smooth legs.

"So when can I meet her?" Andy wonders.

"She's going away for work for a few weeks, but she said we should get together after that," he informs her.

"Sounds perfect," she agrees.

"Good," Sam says with a nod.

"Do you think she'll like me?" Andy questions after she slides herself onto Sam's lap.

"I know she will," he assures her.

Andy smiles in response and pulls him in for a kiss.

"I love you," he whispers as he presses his forehead against hers.

"Love you, too," she grins.

=============REWRITTEN=============

Well, as always, I hope you liked this one.

I know I said that the next chapter will be really good, but I actually changed the order a little bit, so the next chapter will be something different. The "really good" chapter will be chapter 36. Although, I think you'll still like the next chapter.

Please don't forget to review! They are what keep me going!


	35. Study Buddies

So, I know I said that this chapter was going to be a really good one, but I actually decided to switch it with another chapter. I just realized that it made a lot more sense to have this one first. I feel kind of bad because it's definitely not my best chapter and you guys waited a while for it, but hopefully you think it's cute.

AND, I _**promise**_ that the next chapter will be the good one I promised you guys. PLUS, it's already 100% written and edited, so there will not be a long wait this time.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

==============REWRITTEN=============

"C'mon Sammy, do you _really_ want to be in uniform forever?" Jerry argues as he leans against the lockers while Sam changes out of his uniform.

"As opposed to wearing a suit every day?" Sam retorts with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, ladies dig a man in a suit," Jerry maintains.

"Oh but they hate a man in uniform?" Sam remarks, sarcastically.

"I bet McNally would _love_ to see you in a suit," Jerry suggests, figuring it couldn't hurt to come at this from a different angle.

Sam rolls his eyes before reaching into his locker and pulling out his t-shirt. "Look, I told you I'd think about it… what more do you want?" He replies as he pulls his shirt over his head.

"What's to think about?" Jerry questions. "You'll get a pretty decent raise _and_ there'll be no more traffic stops, bar fights, domestics… no more drunks puking on you… no more riding around in a stuffy squad car for hours on end… oh _and_ you'll get to work with your best friend every single day," Jerry lists. "And if it's really _that_ big of a deal… Frank probably wouldn't push the whole suit thing," he offers.

"Jerry, I said I'd think about it," Sam insists.

"You know, most people would jump at the chance to make detective," Jerry reminds him. "And Frank's not going to hold the position for you indefinitely," he adds.

"I know… just give me a day or two," he requests. "You can't just spring this on me and expect an answer right away," he maintains, starting to get just a little bit annoyed.

"Okay, okay, fine," Jerry surrenders. "But don't take _too_ long," he amends.

"I know," Sam replies with a slight roll of his eyes.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"So listen, there's uh… there's something I need to talk to you about," Sam begins as he and Andy are cleaning up in the kitchen, while dinner cooks in the oven.

"Um… okay…" Andy replies, as she tosses the sponge on the counter and turns to face him, looking a bit uneasy.

"It's nothing bad," he quickly assures her as he takes a couple steps towards her. "It's uh… well… you know how there's been an opening in the D's ever since Callahan left?" He asks.

"Yeah," she nods.

"Well… Jerry is pretty much intent on convincing me to take it," he explains.

"Oh," she replies with a bit of surprise. "Are you going to?" She wonders.

"I don't know… I wanted to talk to you about it first," he tells her as his hands land on her waist.

"Oh," she repeats, as a small smile crosses her lips. "Well, do you _want_ to?" She questions.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "I mean, it's a good opportunity and I'd get a nice raise, but it also means that you and I wouldn't be partners anymore and I'd probably be working longer hours," he reminds her.

"Yeah, that's true," she replies, as she mulls it over.

"Right and I… I just don't want that to get in the way of… of us," he explains.

" _Sam_ ," she says with a roll of her eyes and smile tracing her lips. "If this is something you really want, then we'll make it work," she assures him as she grabs his hand and interlocks their fingers.

"It's just… the last thing I'd ever want is for this to negatively impact our relationship," he replies. "I mean… nothing is more important to me than you are," he adds as he pushes a lock of hair behind her ear.

She grins up at him and throws her arms around his neck before standing on her toes and giving him a kiss. His hands immediately return to her waist as he briefly tugs her closer, before she eventually pulls back to meet his eyes. "Look, I'm sure it'll take some getting used to," she considers. "I'll obviously miss being partners, but it's not like we'd never work together again… and yeah, the longer hours won't be fun, but, like I said… we'd make it work," she tells him.

"Yeah?" Sam responds as a smile graces his lips and he runs his fingers through her hair.

"Sam, of _course_ ," she assures him. "If this is something you want, I'd never let you turn it down because of me," she contends. "If you want this, we'll figure everything else out."

He takes a moment to just stare at her, basically in awe of the woman standing in front of him. He still has no idea what he ever did to deserve her. "I love you," he declares.

"Love you, too," she replies, cheerfully. "So… what do you think? Doyou want it?" She asks again.

"Yeah… I think I do," he admits with a nod.

"Then, you should do it," she replies. "And because I'm _such_ an amazing girlfriend, I'll even help you study for the exam," she tells him with a teasing smile.

"You really are," he agrees with a smile of his own.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Okay, I think that's enough for tonight," he decides as he reaches for the large Detective's Examination book Andy is holding. She's been helping him study for what feels like hours and he's pretty burnt out.

"Uh uh… no way, we still have a bunch more questions to go through," she tells him as she holds the book out of his reach.

"Andy, c'mon…" he groans.

"Sorry, Swarek. You asked me to help you study and _that_ is what I'm gonna do," she declares with a smirk and more than a little sass.

"Suddenly, I'm regretting that decision," he quips with a roll of his eyes.

"Hm… I think what you need is the proper motivation," she tells him in her most seductive bedroom voice.

And suddenly, she's got his attention again. "Oh yeah? And what kind of motivation would that be?" He wonders.

"Well… how about for every question you get right, I take off a piece of clothing?" She proposes with a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"I think that's the kind of studying I could get behind," he tells her with a smirk.

"I figured," she says with a laugh.

"Okay, let's get this going," he urges.

She giggles in response before searching the book for the next question.

"Okay… give me three examples of something that would constitute demonstrative evidence," She prompts.

"A crime scene photo, surveillance footage and 911 audio," he answers easily.

"Yep," she says with a nod.

"Do I get to pick what you take off?" He wonders.

"I guess that's only fair," she shrugs as a smile touches her lips.

"Shirt," he instructs with a point of his finger.

She grins and pulls her shirt over her head and then tosses it to the side. She gives him three seconds to rake his eyes over her body before she moves along to the next question.

"Okay, give me five examples of crimes that would constitute obstruction of justice," she continues.

"Making false statements to the police, intimidating a witness, destroying evidence, influencing a jury and tipping off a suspect to an investigation," he says.

"Right," she smiles.

"Shorts," he declares with a grin.

She lets out a laugh and wiggles out of her shorts before throwing them in his face. He chuckles, tosses them aside and continues to enjoy the view.

"Name three examples of strict liability crimes," She asks.

"Statutory rape, selling alcohol to minors and… uh… speeding," he answers. "Bra," he tells her.

She quickly unhooks her bra and tosses it on the floor. That's when Sam reaches out and pulls her much closer.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asks with a laugh.

"Just thought you'd look much better over here," he quips as his hands start roaming her body.

"Oh yeah?" She retorts, amused.

"Yeah," he replies, already distracted by the hand on her breast.

She rolls her eyes and searches for the next question, while desperately trying not to get distracted by the wondrous things Sam's hands are doing to her.

"What's the difference between an accessory and an accomplice?" She asks.

"Accessory is someone who aids a crime, while an accomplice actually takes part in the crime," he says as he starts to pull her underwear down her legs.

"List some aggravating factors," she tells him as she lifts her ass off the bed to help Sam remove her panties.

"What? I'm pretty sure we're done studying," he says as he gestures towards her naked body.

"Nope. Now every time you get one right, I'll take off one piece of _your_ clothing," she grins.

"You're seriously killing me," he groans.

"Then you better start answering," she quips.

"Fine… aggravating factors… okay, prior convictions, vulnerability of the victim, injuries sustained by the victim, suspect's role in the crime," he lists. "Pretty sure I should get two pieces of clothing for that answer," he tells her.

"Fine," she says as she gets on her knees and lifts his shirt over his head and then crawls down the bed and removes both socks as she throws him a teasing smile.

"Not cool," he groans. "Next question," he pleads.

She chuckles at his impatience and flips the page in the textbook to find the next question. "List some mitigating factors," she says.

"Lack of criminal record, mental or physical illness, culpability of the victim, circumstances of the crime that could explain but not excuse the crime, and events in the suspect's past such as abuse," he says.

"Correct," she says as she pulls his jeans down his legs. "What is the mens rea?" She asks.

"Guilty mind… or the intent behind the crime," he explains.

"Yep," she says as she slowly slips his boxers down his legs.

" _Now_ are we done?" He pleads.

"Nope," she says with a shake of her head and a mischievous smile. "Now I think we switch things up. How about for every question you get right, I'll do something you like," she proposes as her smile widens.

"What kind of something?" He wonders.

"You'll have to wait and see," she teases.

"Fine, just ask me the next question," he urges.

She giggles and flips through the study manual to find the next question. "Okay, tell me how you can you prove the crime of attempt, and give me three examples," she prompts.

"So, to prove attempt, you have to show that the suspect intended to commit the crime, took a substantial step towards committing the crime and that the only reason the crime did not occur was because of circumstances unforeseen by the suspect… examples would be… if you hired a hitman to kill someone, but it turned out the hitman was an undercover cop … or if you were pointing a gun at someone, but you were taken down before you fired… or if you tried to kidnap a kid, but he ended up getting away," he lists.

"Right," she tells him with a smile before she gets in his lap, wraps her arms around his neck and leans in to kiss him while running her fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

And despite his attempts to stop her, she eventually pulls away after a minute or two. "Just a few more," she promises when she sees the expression on his face.

"Ugh fine," he groans. Yeah, he's not happy.

She playfully rolls her eyes before attempting to get out of his lap so she can continue quizzing him, but he keeps his arms around her and refuses to let her go. She shakes her head at him while an amused smile traces her lips as she reaches for the textbook, deciding that she can still quiz him from her spot in his lap.

"Oh! Okay, what's the difference between a legal impossibility and a factual impossibility?" She asks.

"Um so… a legal impossibility is when someone thinks they are breaking the law, but they're actually not… like if you thought you were speeding, but your speedometer was just broken, you couldn't be convicted… a factual impossibility is when someone attempts to commit a crime, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the crime is impossible to commit… like if you tried to pick someone's pocket, but it was empty… you could be convicted because you have the required intent and took all the necessary steps to commit the crime," he explains.

"Yep," she says with a big smile before she slowly inches closer to him and starts to nip at his neck and earlobe.

He quickly tightens his grip on her and groans at the contact. Yeah, he's really done studying.

But, all too soon, she's pulling away and looking back through the book. And yeah, he can't help but let out a frustrated groan, which only earns a giggle out of Andy.

"Are we done studying yet?" He whines.

"Not yet," she chuckles. "Almost," she offers.

"One more and then we're done," he negotiates.

"Okay," she says with a laugh before glancing down at the book to come up with the next question. "Alright, what is an affirmative defense and give me two examples," she tells him.

"It's a fact or facts that, if proven by the Defendant, would lead to a not-guilty verdict in Court or at least mitigate the charges," he explains. "Examples would be… uh… well, self-defense would definitely be one and uh… okay, another one would be… if the statute of limitations had passed," he declares.

"Exactly," she says with a proud smile. Then, she wraps her hand around his dick, leans forward and takes several inches into her mouth.

"Jesus," he groans as his hand lands on her back and his head bangs against the headboard.

She moves her hand and lips up and down his cock for about a minute before she ultimately pulls away.

"See, aren't I the best study buddy?" She teases.

"The best," he agrees with a laugh and a nod as he pulls her into his lap and plants a kiss on her.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Well, I hope you liked this.

And a disclaimer about all of those study questions… as I think everyone knows, I live in the US, so I know nothing about Canadian laws, although I would assume that they aren't _that_ much different than the US? Who knows if that assumption is correct, though. I did ask Google for help, but for some reason, coming up with exam questions regarding criminal laws in Canada was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Anyway, I ended up just using some study materials from my criminal law class in college. So, it it's way off from the laws in Canada, my apologies. Also, I really don't know what kinds of things they would ask on a detective's exam, so again, I hope that doesn't ruin this for you.

Don't forget to review! (Maybe you'll persuade me to post the next chapter sooner )


	36. Questions

So, I meant to post this before going out tonight, but then I was running _really_ late and didn't have a chance. Anyway, I just got home, so I'm posting it now

As I said before, I'm pretty happy with this chapter, so I hope everyone else is, too. And I think this might be my longest chapter yet… (5400 words!)

Don't forget to leave me lots of reviews to wake up to!

==============REWRITTEN=============

He's still a little bit shocked by what he just did.

Yeah, he's been in a fog ever since he got into his truck. All kinds of thoughts have been swirling around in his head for the past fifteen minutes. So much so that it takes him almost that long to realize he missed his exit.

Part of him thinks that he shouldn't really be that surprised. It's not like he's never thought about it. Lord knows he has.

And it's not as if he didn't want it to happen. Of course he did. The thing is, he just wasn't expecting it to happen right _now_.

Honestly, he's not exactly sure what made him do it, but suddenly… it was done.

It was a completely spur of the moment decision. _Completely_ spur of the moment.

So maybe that's why it doesn't exactly feel real. Because he had no time to really get used to the idea.

Yeah, that could be part of it, but mostly, he thinks it's because he just never thought he'd be here. Actually, he was fairly certain he would never be here. More than fairly certain.

He never thought he would feel this way, that he would want this, that he would be so completely sure.

But he _does_ want it. All of it. And he _is_ sure. More than sure.

This is what he wants. She is who he wants.

Honestly, there's nothing in this world he wants more than her. Nothing.

So yeah, today he bought a ring.

This morning, when he walked into that jewelry store, he was only planning on buying her birthday present- a pair of nice diamond studs to replace the cheap ones she wears every day. It was the perfect gift and he knew she would love it, but then he walked by the engagement rings and suddenly, the earrings were momentarily forgotten.

He spent over twenty minutes staring at the different rings and imagining how they would look on her finger. And as the sales woman showed him each and every cut, swarms of images flashed through his mind. Being down on one knee and proposing to her, the look on her face when he did, Andy walking towards him in a beautiful white dress. And then even more images flooded his head. Lying in bed together with his hands roaming her pregnant belly, Andy holding their baby in her arms for the first time, the two of them reading bedtime stories to a couple of dark-haired kids, and so on.

But still, it wasn't until he actually got into his truck and put the gift bag on the seat next to him, that what he just did fully hit him.

This honestly is the last thing he ever thought he'd do. At least, it used to be.

But then he met her.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Hey brother," Oliver greets Sam as he opens his front door. They had just hung up the phone a few minutes prior, after Sam called to make sure he'd be home.

"Hey," Sam replies as he walks through the threshold of Oliver's house.

"So… what's up?" He asks, unsure of the reason for Sam's visit. When they spoke a few minutes ago, he got the vibe that this wasn't a social call.

"Uh so… I kind of need a favor," Sam begins.

"Okay…" Oliver replies, in that suspicious tone of his.

"Can you hold onto something for me? I just… I don't want Andy to find it," he explains.

And that's when Oliver gives him a weird look, like maybe he's worried Sam is up to something he wouldn't approve of. Although seriously, it's barely been two months since they moved in together, what could he possibly think Sam is up to?

But still, Sam decides to appease his friend and pulls the small velvet box out of his pocket to show Oliver exactly what he's asking of him.

"Uh Sammy… wow," Oliver says, obviously in a bit of disbelief. "Wow," he says again.

"Yeah, I know," Sam agrees to his unspoken words. "So, do you think you could hold on to it for a bit?" He asks.

"Yeah… yeah, sure… I'll lock it up in the safe upstairs," Oliver suggests as he gestures for Sam to follow him. "So… how long you been thinking about this?" He wonders as they walk towards Oliver's bedroom.

"It was kind of spur of the moment," Sam explains. "Was getting her some earrings for her birthday and… I don't know, I saw this and I bought it," he adds as he fidgets with the box in his hand.

Honestly, he's still not really clear on how all of this happened, but one thing he does know is that it's right. _Really_ right.

"Well, I'm happy for you, brother," Oliver says with a smile and a pat on his back.

"Thanks," Sam responds with a smile. "But maybe save that until she actually says yes," he adds with a nervous laugh.

"C'mon, of course she'll say yes," Oliver assures him as he kneels down and enters the code into the keypad on his safe.

"You think?" Sam asks. He hasn't actually let himself sit down and really think about what her answer might be. Yeah, they love each other and they've talked about a future together, but it's never been anything definitive. So, he'd be lying if he said he was 100% sure she'd say yes.

"It's been what? Three years? I mean, she's put up with you for this long, so I'd say she's probably all in," Oliver teases.

Sam rolls his eyes, but lets out a laugh. "Let's hope," he says.

"So have you thought about how you're going to do it? Or when?" Oliver asks as he takes the box from Sam and places it in his safe before locking it back up.

"No… I mean, I did just buy it twenty minutes ago," Sam reminds him.

"Right," Oliver replies. "Well, you can always borrow the cabin if you want… I know McNally's a sucker for the woods," he adds.

"Yeah, maybe," Sam replies with a nod as he lets his mind drift, imagining when and where and how he might ask her to marry him.

Luckily, he still has time to figure it all out.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Okay, _what_ is with you today?" Andy questions as she gives him a gentle kick on his thigh in order to grab his attention.

Sam got home almost two hours ago and after eating the dinner that Andy surprised him with, the two of them have been relaxing on the couch and watching reruns of Seinfeld. And while it all _seems_ normal, Sam has been acting weird ever since he got home. It's strange but she kind of feels like he's watching her.

And he's been suspiciously happy, which is nice… but also weird.

"What?" Sam asks, shooting her a confused look.

"You keep staring at me and… you're like in a weirdly good mood," she points out.

"I'm not allowed to be in a good mood?" He asks as he pulls her onto his lap, so her knees are bracketing his hips.

"You are," she replies. "Just wondering if there was a reason behind it," she banters.

"Well… you're here," he informs her with a smile.

Her own smile widens and she starts to play with the hair on the back of his head. "That's it?" She inquires.

"That's not enough?" He asks with widened eyes.

She lets out a laugh and gives him a quick kiss. "It just seems like there's more," she tells him as she narrows her eyes and shoots him this look that makes him think she's about to interrogate him.

"I'm just happy," he shrugs. " _You_ make me happy," he adds with a smile as he pulls her even closer.

"Smooth," she retorts.

He lets out a laugh and grabs a quick kiss. "I'm serious," he declares.

"I know," she assures him. "I like you happy… looks good on you," she tells him with a smile.

He shoots her a smile and leans in for another kiss. "You happy?" He asks.

"Very happy," she confirms with a nod.

"I love you, you know?"

"I know," she confirms with a smile. "I love you, too."

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's a few hours later that they are both tucked into bed and Andy is draped half on top of him, completely asleep. Ever since she drifted off about thirty minutes ago, he's been staring at the ceiling, listening to sound of her breathing, entirely lost in his thoughts.

He's working the early shirt tomorrow and he really should get some rest, but he's not especially confident in that happening anytime soon. He just can't turn his mind off.

When he got home this afternoon and saw her in the kitchen making dinner for him, he couldn't keep the smile off his face. Coming home to her… it's truly how he wants to end every day for the rest of his life.

That's why he was in such a good mood tonight. And it's why he couldn't stop watching her. It was like every little thing she did… all of the cute mannerisms and habits she has… he couldn't stop thinking how lucky he would be to experience them for the next fifty years.

Every smile, every laugh, every joke… every time she wrinkled her forehead or furrowed her eyebrows… bit her lip or batted her eyelashes… he seriously couldn't get enough of it tonight.

And he knew he wasn't being especially discrete. He's pretty sure he smiled more tonight than he ever has. And he knew he was staring at her just about the entire night. And he was definitely being more quiet than usual. He knew he was.

It's just that… no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept returning to that ring sitting in Oliver's safe. He imagined how it'll look on her finger and what she would think when she saw it for the first time. And then, he starting rehearsing the words that he'll say before he gives it to her. He just couldn't think of anything else, but that ring.

So, of course, she noticed.

It's just that… he so unbelievably in love her. And all he wants to do is to put that ring on her finger.

So, just as she started to get sleepy in his arms, he decided that he wasn't going to wait too long. He was going to ask her soon. And as she kissed him goodnight and gave him this completely wonderful smile, he was confident in his decision.

But then she fell asleep, and he was finally alone with all his thoughts.

And that's when the anxiety and the doubts kicked in.

What if she's not ready? What if it's too soon?

They did just move in together. Maybe she'll need more time?

What if this isn't what she wants?

Not for the first time tonight, he tries to shake the thoughts from his head.

Yeah, it's gonna be long night…

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's a few nights later when something suddenly causes Andy to wake, for the third time in the past couple hours. Sam's been tossing and turning all night… actually, he hasn't been sleeping well for the past couple nights.

"Can't sleep?" She says as she opens her eyes to meet his.

"Yeah, sorry… go back to sleep," he apologizes as he briefly runs his hand up and down her back.

"You've barely been sleeping lately," she comments. "What's going on?" She questions.

"Nothing," he promises as he kisses the top of her head.

"Sam," she says with a sigh. "Talk to me… what's wrong?" She probes.

"I'm fine, don't worry… I think I just need to stop drinking coffee so late in the day," he reasons.

"You sure?" She asks, not quite buying it.

"Yeah, I promise… everything's fine," he tells her again. "Now go back to sleep… I'm gonna go take some Advil PM," he decides.

"Okay…" she says as she watches him get out of bed and head towards the medicine cabinet in their bathroom.

Once he's out of sight, she lies back down and closes her eyes, in an effort to try and go back to sleep.

Except now, she's not sure she can.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"I don't know… he's just… he's been acting so weird lately," Andy explains to Traci, a couple days later, as the two of them are going shopping on their day off.

"How so?" Traci inquires.

"I don't know, it's hard to explain… it's like his mind is always somewhere else and he just seems… I don't know… restless and… and kind of distant," Andy replies. "And he hasn't been sleeping… he's tossing and turning all night," she adds.

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," Traci assures her.

"It's just… it's been almost a week of this and he always says that he's fine and there's nothing going on, but… I mean, you really don't think I should be worried?" She asks.

"Well, what specifically do you think you should be worried about?" Traci questions.

"I don't know… I mean… we've been living together for two months… maybe he's having second thoughts? Maybe it's not what he thought it would be like?" Andy reasons.

"I'm sure that's not it… you two were pretty much living together before that… he knew exactly what it would be like," Traci assures her.

"Well, I don't know… maybe he's just… over it?" She guesses.

"What? Andy, that's crazy… he loves you," she replies.

"Yeah… but I just… I _know_ something is up," she explains. "I can feel it."

"Well, then you should just talk to him about it," Traci suggests. "Sit him down and make him tell you what's going on," she adds.

"I know… it's just that… I'm kind of terrified," she admits. "What if it's something I don't want to hear?"

Traci blows out a breath and gives her friend a sympathetic look. "Well… _if_ it is… then… then, it's something you should know sooner rather than later," she advises.

Andy sighs and slowly nods her head. "Yeah… yeah, you're right," she agrees.

"I'm sure it's not what you're thinking," Traci offers.

"Let's hope," Andy replies with a nervous smile.

==============REWRITTEN=============

It's been six days since he bought her that ring and he has thought of nothing else since. He knows he's been acting weird and that it definitely hasn't slipped her notice.

It's like ever since he bought it, he's been feeling extremely restless. It's as if he's just impatiently waiting for that moment when he can propose to her, except that he has no idea when that moment will be.

He just wishes that he was more confident in her answer. He wishes that he just _knew_ she'd say yes.

But she would say yes, right?

They've been together for four years, they've talked about the future… she must want the same things. If she didn't, she wouldn't still be with him, right?

But then again, who knows?

He's honestly driven himself completely crazy these last six days. He's overanalyzed this from every single angle. He's barely gotten more than two hours of sleep each night. He's been tossing and turning, coming up with all of the different reasons she might say no.

Yeah, he's basically crawling out of his skin.

He's got to ask her soon or he'll pretty much explode.

So, that's how he, once again, finds himself on Oliver's front steps.

"Hey buddy," Oliver greets him.

"Hey," Sam replies.

"What's up?" Oliver asks, giving Sam a suspicious look. He can obviously tell that something's going on with him.

"I need the ring back," Sam explains.

"Oh," Oliver says as his eyes widen in surprise. "Okay… I'll go get it, c'mon," he says, gesturing for Sam to follow him inside.

"Thanks," Sam replies as he shuts Oliver's front door.

"So… you're gonna ask her?" Oliver assumes.

"Yeah," Sam nods as he follows Oliver up the stairs.

"I guess I kind of assumed you were gonna wait a little while," Oliver responds.

"Yeah, me too… but I'm kind of going out of my mind," Sam admits.

"I get it," Oliver tells him. "Do you know how you're gonna do it?" He asks as they walk into his bedroom and he makes his way to his closet, where he keeps his safe.

"No idea," Sam replies.

"Well, the offer to borrow the cabin is still on the table," Oliver mentions as he starts to press the numbers on the safe's keypad.

"Yeah? Actually, that would be great," Sam thanks him. "She'll love that," he adds.

"No problem," Oliver replies as he opens the safe and reaches inside. "Okay brother, here's the ring," he says as he hands the small black box to Sam and simultaneously pats him on the back. "And here's the key to the cabin," he says as he pulls his keychain out his pocket and removes one of the keys before handing it to Sam. "Good luck, Sammy."

"Yeah, thanks," Sam responds with an uneasy expression as the anxiety starts to bubble over.

==============REWRITTEN=============

As soon as she gets home, she starts to psych herself up to talk to Sam. She's just… she's beyond nervous. She can't shake the feeling that she's opening up a can of worms.

And to make matters worse, he's acting even weirder now. He's barely said five words to her since she walked in the door and he's fidgety and completely lost in his thoughts. She's not sure if it's just her imagination but everything feels so awkward and tense between them and she has no clue why.

Eventually, she decides that she just can't put it off anymore.

"Hey, can we talk?" She asks as she sits down beside him on the couch.

His whole body tenses at her words and he instantly looks anxious as he turns to meet her eyes. "Okay…" He replies, suspiciously.

"Um so, look… I know you said that you're fine and nothing is going on with you, but you've been… different lately… _really_ different," she explains. "So I guess I just want to make sure that… that we're okay," she continues.

"What?" He asks as he furrows his brows in confusion. "Of _course_ we're okay," he assures her.

"You sure?" She probes.

" _Yes_ ," he responds. "Andy, we're great… we're _perfect_ , okay?" He implores.

"Okay…" she replies, still not completely sure if she can believe him.

"Hey," he says as he grabs her hand and squeezes it. "I _love_ you," he says, willing her to trust his words. "And I'm sorry I've been acting weird," he apologizes. "I guess that maybe I've been kind of stressed about my mom," he lies.

"Did something happen?" She wonders, unsure why he wouldn't have just talked to her about this.

"No, not really," he says with a shake of his head. "It's just… when I was there last week, the doctors told me that they want her to go to another treatment program after she's done with this one… it's six months long and I have a feeling she's going to resist," he explains.

And yeah, that part is true but with everything going on in his head lately, he hasn't even had a chance to really worry about it yet.

"Sam, you should have told me," she says as she reassuringly squeezes his hand. "You can't keep this stuff bottled up," she adds.

"I know… I've just been trying not to think about it. I mean, it's out of my control," he justifies with a shrug. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he apologizes as he wraps an arm around her body and maneuvers her onto his lap.

"S'okay," she says as she links her arms around his neck. "But… next time just talk to me," she implores. "You were really freaking me out," she confesses. "I thought… I thought maybe you were having second thoughts about us."

" _What_?" He says, clearly taken back. "Andy, that's the last thing that would ever happen, okay? You… us… it's the one thing I'm _always_ sure about," he promises.

"Okay," she says with a nod and a smile, as he pulls her into a hug while his hands run up and down her back.

"I love you," he tells her, still holding her close. He can feel her smile against his neck before she pulls away, slightly, from his embrace.

"I love you, too," she tells him before leaning in for a quick kiss.

When they pull away, he smiles up at her and pushes some hair out of her face. "You know, I was thinking…" he begins. "We both have the weekend off… what do you think about going away for a couple days?" He suggests.

"Going away?" She asks with surprise. "Where to?" She wonders with a smile.

"Well… Oliver offered me the cabin," he informs her as he pulls the key out of his pocket to show her.

"He _offered_ the cabin? What's the occasion?" She questions.

"No occasion," he replies. "I just thought it might be nice to get away for a couple days and Oliver said we could use the cabin," he tells her, trying his best to sound nonchalant.

"Okay…" she says as a smile touches her lips. "Well, I think we could definitely use a little vacation," she decides.

"Yeah, I'd say so," he agrees with a smile before he leans in for a kiss.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"So… how did it go?" Traci asks, a bit hesitant, as Andy walks into the locker room the next day.

"Uh… good," Andy responds. "He said that he's just worried about his mom and… he wants to take me to Oliver's cabin this weekend," she informs her.

"See, I told you that you had nothing to worry about," Traci replies.

"Yeah… I guess you're right," she agrees. "I just don't get why he didn't just talk to me about his mom… it's weird," she points out.

"But you know Swarek, it's not _that_ weird," Traci remarks.

"I guess… but he usually talks to me about this kind of thing… I don't know, I mean, it seems like everything is okay between us, but I still have this weird feeling… like he's still keeping something from me," she muses.

"I'm sure you're just being paranoid," Traci suggests.

"Yeah… I hope you're right," Andy agrees.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"This construction is insane… this is the third detour today," Sam groans as he and Andy are patrolling the streets on Friday morning.

"Yeah…" Andy nods, as she gazes out the window. "Oh my God, do you know where we are?" She asks, when they turn down a familiar street.

"Of course I know where we are," he replies, shooting her a confused expression.

"No, I mean…" she begins with a shake of her head. "Sam, that's the alley I arrested you in!" she exclaims as she points down the street.

"Oh… yeah, you're right," he comments with a laugh and a smile.

"Good times," she says with a smirk.

"Mm… I don't know if I'd go that far," he disagrees.

"You _were_ pretty pissed," she giggles.

"Yeah well… at the time, it was pretty much the worst thing that had ever happened to me… career-wise, at least," he reminds her.

"So dramatic," she comments with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Well, I'd like to see how you'd feel after eight months of your life go down the drain because of a rookie," he teases.

"You know it was way more Jerry's fault than mine," she argues.

"Yeah, I know," he laughs.

"Plus, I think things turned out pretty well for you," she grins.

"Really well," he agrees with a smile.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"You're being really quiet," Andy comments as she tilts her head to look up at Sam. The two of them are snuggled together on the porch swing that sits on Oliver's deck, watching as the sun starts to go down.

And yeah, she's pretty certain that he has something on his mind given that he's barely said two words since dinner.

When he suggested going to Oliver's cabin for the weekend, she was pretty relieved. Obviously, he wouldn't suggest a weekend away if he was having doubts about them. That just wouldn't make sense.

All that being said, the uneasiness she's been feeling lately has still been lingering in her mind. She's not sure what it is, but something just doesn't seem right with him. Sure, it could just be everything that's going on with his mom, but something is telling her that it's more than that.

And then, ever since they got into his truck after shift, he's been on edge. He's been impatient and unfocused and way more quiet than usual. Yeah, it's making her nervous.

Seriously, he wouldn't bring her up here to break up with her, right?

"Just thinking," he says with a shrug.

The truth is, he's completely freaking out. His mind is swirling with all of the ways she could say no and he's talked himself in and out of this several times in just the past ten minutes. He wants it more than anything, but honestly… what if she says no?

"'Bout what?" She asks, although she's not entirely sure that she wants to know.

"I um… I was just thinking about this morning… driving by that alley," he explains.

"What do you mean?" She wonders as she moves her head back a little so she can meet his eyes.

"The whole thing seems like a lifetime ago," he muses.

"Well, it _has_ been four years," she reminds him.

"Yeah," he nods. "It's just… it's funny… how much has changed," he continues.

"Like what?" She wonders.

"Well… just me, I guess," he replies with a shrug.

"How so?" She probes.

"I mean… back then, I was always just waiting for the next UC and I never wanted anything holding me back," he explains. "I mean… if someone would've told me five years ago that this is what my life would be right now… trying to make detective and being in a committed, long-term, relationship… I would've had a hard time believing it," he continues.

Andy hmms in response as she starts to nervously play with a strand of her hair. He can already see her beginning to overanalyze his words and he's sure she's taking them the wrong way, so without a second thought, he continues.

"But then everything happened with us and… I don't know… being with you... it changed me," he tells her as he runs his thumb along her jaw. "Suddenly, I was just… _happy_ and those things that I never wanted before like stability and commitment… they stopped sounding dull and boring and started to sound really good," he explains with a reassuring smile.

"It's funny because, when you arrested me… I really meant what I said earlier… at the time, I thought it was the worst thing that ever happened to me on the job, but eventually… I realized that the opposite was true," he tells her. "It's just… back then… I never could've anticipated how important you'd become to me… but it's been four years and you really are everything to me," he says as his fingers skim down her spine. "Andy, if I have you… I have everything I want," he tells her before pausing and taking a breath. "You're… you're the love of my life," he declares.

Her eyes widen and she's a bit stunned as she sucks in some air and tries to formulate a response.

"I don't even want to imagine what my life would be like if you hadn't tackled me in that alley… but I'm sure I would be nowhere near as happy because… because I know that nothing could ever feel as right as it does with you," he continues as he pushes a lock of hair behind her ear.

" _Sam_ ," she says, starting to get a bit of emotional.

"You're the only person I want for the rest of my life," he continues before he gets up off the swing and stands in front of her while reaching into his pocket and pulling something out. Then suddenly, he's getting down on one knee and opening his hand to show her a black, velvet box.

And yeah, Andy is completely stunned.

"So… will you marry me?" He asks as he opens the box and exposes the diamond ring he bought her.

Andy's eyes are as wide as he's ever seen them and she's completely speechless for what feels like an eternity, but is probably only a second or two.

"Oh my God…. are you… are you serious?" she asks, practically whispering.

"Pretty serious," he says with a nod and an amused smile.

"Holy shit," she replies, a bit breathless.

"Andy?" He asks as he raises his eyebrows while waiting for her response.

"Yes… _Sam_ , yes," she declares with a big smile.

"Yes? Really?" He questions.

" _Yes_ … of course," she confirms before she leaps off the swing and almost tackles him as she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him in for a kiss.

She can feel him pour everything into this kiss and it just feels wonderful.

Several moments later, when he reluctantly pulls away in favor of sucking in a breath, she looks up to meet his eyes and finds him pretty much beaming at her. She can't help but grin back at him, but then she follows his eyes to the ring in his hand and they both watch, intently, as he slowly slips it on her finger.

When he looks back at up at her, she's still admiring her new ring. "Like it?" He asks, as he gets his hands on her waist.

That's when she looks back up at him and smiles. "It's gorgeous… I love it," she assures him, as they exchange another smile. "When did you get it?" She wonders.

"Last week," he tells her as he pulls her closer, causing both of her hands to land on his chest.

"So is that _actually_ why you've been acting so weird?" she questions.

"Sorry," he says with a laugh. "I guess I was a little stressed about the whole thing," he admits.

"What's there to be stressed about? Did you think I'd say _no_?" She asks like it's a completely stupid thought to have.

"It may have crossed my mind," he admits with a shrug.

"Seriously?" She asks, incredulously.

"You never know…" he reminds her.

She laughs out loud at his words and shakes her head while giving him an affectionate smile.

"Why is that funny?" He asks as his own smile creeps onto his lips.

"It's just that… I pretty much decided a long time ago that I was never letting you go," she tells him.

His smile widens as his fingers trace her spine. "Well, that would've been nice to know," he quips.

"Sorry," she says with a chuckle before she leans in and kisses him. When she eventually pulls away, she stays close and presses her forehead against his as a smile plays on her lips. "So, I guess this means that I really do get you forever," She muses.

"Pretty sure that's what this means," he says as he taps her engagement ring.

"And you get me forever," she replies.

"That's the plan," he says with a grin.

That's when she gets this beautiful grin on her face and leans in for another kiss. And just as he's about to slip his tongue in her mouth, she abruptly pulls away and gets up on her feet.

"What are you doing?" He questions as he reaches for her.

She laughs and grabs at his arm to pull him up. "Gotta go have sex with my fiancé right this second," she grins.

And well… he _really_ likes the sound of that.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Hope this chapter made up for the wait.

Let me know what you think!


	37. After

Okay guys, so I had QUITE the scare recently.

My laptop died, so I sent it in to be fixed & then a day later, I realized that the USB with my backups had been corrupted and I couldn't access ANYTHING. As you can imagine, I completely freaked out because all of my work stuff was on there, plus all the drafts of my fanfics I haven't posted yet. It was awful!

Anyway, after several stressful days, I finally got my laptop back this afternoon. Luckily, they only had to replace the battery so everything was there. But, for days, I couldn't get ahold of anyone to figure out what was going on or if they could back up my data for me, so it was pretty traumatic lol.

So yeah, that's why I've been MIA for a bit. But enough about that… here's the next chapter!

============REWRITTEN===========

"Morning," Sam says with a smile once Andy's eyes begin to flutter open.

"Morning," she replies with a big grin of her own. Sam's smile widens as he leans over to kiss her while her arms snake around his neck and she lifts her head to meet his lips.

As the two of them continue to kiss, Sam wraps his arms around her and briefly slips his tongue into her mouth. When they eventually pull away, slightly, Sam brushes his nose against hers and gives her one more peck on the lips.

"Mmm… I don't wanna go back to work," she complains with a bit of a pout. "Just wanna stay in bed with _you_ ," she adds.

"I know how you feel," he agrees with a nod before he settles back against the mattress and pulls her with him so she's pressed against his side with her arm thrown half-hazardly across his chest.

"You think Frank would believe it if we both called in sick?" She wonders.

"Hmm… probably not," he replies as he starts to play with her engagement ring. It's something he's been doing ever since he slipped it on her finger on Friday night. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't absolutely love it.

"Yeah…" she agrees. "I really wish we didn't have to go back… this weekend really flew by," she comments.

"Probably 'cuz we spent most of it in bed," he smirks.

"Mmm… you might be right," she giggles. "But I'd say it was time well spent," she adds.

"I don't disagree," he smiles before leaning in for another quick make out session.

"So how much time do we have before we need to leave?" She questions, after they're both out of breath.

Sam glances over at the alarm clock before returning his attention to her. "We probably have a good hour and a half before we have to hit the road," he informs her.

"Mm… I think I can work with that," she declares as she throws a leg over his body and maneuvers herself on top of him before leaning in for a kiss, completely grinning.

"Oh yeah?" He asks as his hands roam her bare back and he's smiling from ear to ear.

"Mhm," she says with a nod before pressing her lips to his. "Definitely."

============REWRITTEN===========

"Hey, how was your weekend away?" Traci asks, that afternoon, as Andy walks into the kitchen, where Traci is pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Amazing," Andy replies, still floating from the past couple days with Sam.

"Oh yeah?" Traci asks with a smirk. "Lots of sexy time with Swarek, I assume?" She teases.

Andy chuckles at the comment and takes a few more steps so she's standing beside her best friend. "Well… _yeah_ , but… that's not the only thing that happened," she announces as she lifts her left hand and starts to wiggle her fingers so Traci will notice her ring.

"Holy shit!" Traci declares as her jaw drops and her eyes widen.

"I know!" Andy grins.

"Sam proposed?" Traci asks as she grabs Andy's hand to get a closer look at the ring.

"Yep," Andy replies, still grinning ear to ear.

"Wow," Traci comments as she admires Andy's ring. "That is _some_ ring," she adds. "Swarek did good."

"Yeah, he did," Andy agrees with a big smile as she takes a moment to admire her engagement ring, not for the first time.

"So, how did he do it? Tell me everything," Traci implores as she finally releases her grip on Andy's hand.

" _Well_ … we were at Oliver's cabin… just sitting on the porch swing after dinner… honestly, it was like something out a movie," Andy describes. "Not the cheesy kind, though… I mean, I don't think he even planned it that way… it just happened that the sun was setting and the sky was like a million different shades of pink and purple and orange… it was beautiful," Andy gushes.

"Sounds like it," Traci comments.

"Yeah but, at first, he was kind of freaking me out because he was being so quiet," she explains. "So, I asked him what he was thinking about and well… earlier that day, we drove by the alley I arrested him in, and he said that's what he was thinking about… about how much has changed since then… and then… well, to be honest, it's all kind of a blur, but eventually, it led to this unbelievable speech," she continues. "It was so romantic… he was saying all of these amazingly sweet things like that I'm the love of his life and that, as long as he has me, he has everything he wants," she tells her.

"Wow, that's some speech," Traci remarks.

"Yeah, it was all so surreal," Andy smiles, as she thinks back to that moment. "And then, suddenly, he was getting down on one knee and asking me to marry him," she explains.

"Who knew Swarek was such a romantic," she quips.

Andy's smile widens a bit at her words. "Yeah well, it's not really something I like to advertise… don't really need every woman in Toronto chasing after him," she laughs.

"Yeah, I don't think you have to worry about that anymore," Traci chuckles as she gestures towards Andy's engagement ring.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Andy grins as she glances down at her ring.

============REWRITTEN===========

"So…" Oliver says as he walks up to Sam who is buttoning up his uniform.

"So…?" Sam repeats.

"Don't play dumb. How did it go?" Oliver asks.

"Oh," Sam says with a chuckle. "It went good," he replies.

"Good? That's it?" Oliver says, incredulously. "So, she said yes?"

"She said yes," Sam confirms, unable to fight the smile appearing on his lips.

Oliver gets a big grin on his face as he pats Sam on the back. "Congratulations, brother," he tells him.

"Thanks," Sam replies.

"See, I told you, you had nothing to worry about," Oliver reminds him.

"Yeah well, you're one to talk… Remember how crazy you were when you were going to propose to Zoe?" Sam asks. "Compared to you, I think I did pretty well… I didn't sweat through three different shirts or leave the house without shoes," He teases.

"Yeah, yeah," Oliver says with a roll of his eyes. "I'm happy for you, Sammy," he tells him.

"Thanks, brother."

============REWRITTEN===========

"Hey, who was that?" Andy asks, two days later, as she peers up from her magazine after Sam hangs up the phone.

"Sarah," he tells her as he takes a seat beside her on the couch. "She's in town and wanted to see if she could stop by," he explains.

"What!" Andy panics as she sits straight up and throws her magazine on the coffee table. "She's coming over? When?" She asks, already getting flustered.

"She said she'll be here in fifteen," he shrugs, unsure what her sudden anxiety is about.

"Fifteen minutes?! Sam! Look at me!" She says, as she gestures at herself.

"What am I looking at?" He wonders as his eyes rake her body.

"I look terrible! I need to shower. I need to change!" She reasons.

"Andy, you couldn't look terrible if you tried," he dismisses.

She momentarily smiles, swooning at his kind words, but then the panic returns rather suddenly. "And the house! I need to vacuum! And I should've made some food or something… I can't believe you didn't give me more notice!" She chastises.

"Hey, she just told me two seconds ago," he defends, as an amused smile touches his lips.

"Okay, you vacuum and I'll go take a quick shower… and then, I guess we can just take her out to lunch," Andy muses before she jumps off the couch and heads towards the stairs.

"Hey," Sam says as he stands up and grabs her hand to stop her. He gently pulls her back towards him and cups her jaw, so she'll meet his eyes. "Don't worry, it'll be fine, okay?" He assures her.

"But, Jerry said that your sister will be the hardest to win over," she informs him.

Yeah, he's really got to yell at Jerry about that one.

"He just said that because he knows my sister isn't a hug fan of his," he explains with a teasing smile. Although, the truth is, his sister isn't a hug fan of most people and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a _little_ concerned about how this meeting will go.

She eyes him for a moment, as if she's trying to figure out whether or not he's just placating her. But then, she sees the clock out of the corner of her eye and realizes that three minutes have already gone by.

"Sam! She's going to be here in twelve minutes!" She squeals before she wriggles out of his grasp and starts to run up the stairs. "Don't forget to vacuum!" She calls down to him.

"Okay, dear," he mocks with a playful roll of his eyes.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Hey Sammy," Sarah says after Sam opens the front door to find her standing on their steps.

"Hey Square," he replies before giving her a hug. "This is Andy," he tells her as he gestures towards the woman beside him.

"Ah, the famous Andy," Sarah quips.

"That's me," Andy says with a smile. Although, the way Sarah starts immediately looking her over, makes her a bit nervous. She didn't exactly have time to properly blow dry her hair or put on much make up or spend twenty minutes debating what she should wear. So yeah, she doesn't really look her best and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't self-conscious.

"Sammy, she's wearing an engagement ring on her finger," Sarah points out. Again, it makes Andy uncomfortable. It's like she's not even there.

"I know, I put it there," he responds with a chuckle.

"You're getting _married_?" Sarah asks, turning to her brother, in disbelief.

"Yeah," Sam shrugs as a smile plays on his lips.

"When… when did this happen?" She wonders.

"This past weekend," he explains.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She questions. "Does mom know?"

"Not yet," he says. "We're going to see her on Thursday, so we thought we'd tell her in person," he informs her as he runs his hand up and down Andy's back in an effort to calm her obvious nerves. "That's why I didn't tell you," he explains.

"I can't believe you're getting married… I kind of thought you'd never settle down," she muses.

"Oh _thanks_ ," he says with a sarcastic roll of his eyes.

"Well, I just didn't think you were interested in that kind of thing," she clarifies.

"Yeah well, things change," he shrugs before exchanging a smile with Andy.

"Yeah, I guess they do," Sarah muses before turning her attention back to Andy. "So, Andy…" she begins. "Tell me everything… I'm dying to know how he did it," she says.

Andy smiles at her, although she's not quite sure whether she's being serious. There's just something about her expression or maybe it's her tone, she's not sure, but she's getting the feeling like she's making some kind of joke.

"I just can't imagine Sammy proposing to anyone… I mean, he's never really been Mr. Romance," Sarah quips. "He didn't hide it in your food, did he?" She teases.

"No, he didn't hide it in my food," she tells her. "He uh… he took me to our friend's cabin up north and… and it was really nice… we were outside and the sun was setting… it was perfect," she reminisces. "It was completely us," she adds, catching Sam's eyes and exchanging a smile.

"Did he make a whole speech and get down on one knee?" Sarah questions.

"Yep," Andy confirms.

"Wow… Sammy, you really have changed," Sarah muses as she glances over at her brother.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" He wonders.

"Hmm… I think it's good," she shrugs. "You seem much happier now," she observes.

"Well, I _am_ much happier now," he agrees as he pulls Andy closer into his side.

"It shows," Sarah confirms, as a smile finally appears on her lips.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Hope you guys liked this. I know it's short and not my best, but hopefully it was enjoyable. I like the next chapter better.

Let me know your thoughts!


	38. Celebrate

Hey guys, here's the next chapter. I kind of like this one

Hope you do, too!

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Did you have fun tonight?" Andy asks as she rests her head on Sam's shoulder while they sit in the back seat of a cab on their way home. In honor of Sam passing the detective's exam, she got everyone together at the Penny after shift and told him that in no uncertain terms was he driving tonight.

It was a celebration, after all.

"Yeah, I did," he confirms as he places a kiss on her temple and squeezes her thigh. "Thank you," he adds.

"Night's not over yet," she smiles as she lifts her head to catch his eye.

"Oh yeah? You got something else planned?" He asks with an amused laugh.

"Maybe," she grins.

He responds with a smile and leans in to get a proper kiss out of her. Then, he wraps his arm around her and enjoys the rest of the ride snuggled up beside her.

Once the cab pulls up to their place, Andy quickly pays the guy before Sam even has a chance to pull out his wallet. Then, she pulls him out of the back seat and walks up their front steps with her hand in his.

When they get inside, Sam walks into the kitchen to get some water, but when he turns around to hand her a bottle, she's gone.

"Andy?" He calls out.

"Yeah?" She shouts from their bedroom.

"What are you doing?" He wonders.

"Come find out," she suggests, flirtatiously.

A smile graces his lips as he puts the water bottle down on the counter and heads towards her. And once he turns the corner into their bedroom, he's stunned to a stop.

"Um… wow," he says as his eyes rake over her body. She's standing in front of him wearing nothing but a black, lacy bra and matching panties while her hair drapes her shoulders in loose waves.

Yeah, he's almost positive she's never looked sexier.

"You like it?" She asks as she does a little twirl.

"Uh… _yeah_ ," he says, still in a bit of a daze.

Her smile quickly turns into a grin as she walks over to him and wraps her arms around his neck. "Bought it just for tonight," she tells him.

"You look incredible," he tells her as his hands seem to have a mind of their own.

"Thanks," she replies before she stands on her toes to get a kiss. And when she pulls away, seconds later, she runs her fingers through his hair and just smiles up at him. "I'm really proud of you, you know," she tells him.

"Couldn't have done it without you," he says as his hands travel down her back.

"I didn't do that much," she dismisses.

"Oh yeah?" He retorts. "I must be imagining all of those nights you stayed up studying with me and the zillions of flashcards you made and the 'brain food' you've been force feeding me for weeks," he tells her.

"Okay, maybe I helped a _little_ , but it was mostly you," she admits with a sheepish smile.

"Mmm… I think we can agree to disagree on that one," he decides.

"Whatever you say," she says with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Hmm… that so?" He responds, casually, as he pushes her hair off her shoulder, so he can get his lips on her neck.

"Mhm," she nods, as she closes her eyes and feels him smile against her skin.

Sam momentarily nibbles on her ear as his hands drift down her body and squeeze her ass. He's just about to pick her up and carry her to bed, when he feels her pushing at his chest and pulling away from him.

"Wait," she says, suddenly.

"What?" He asks, his eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

"We can't _just_ have sex tonight… we're celebrating!" She exclaims. "We've gotta have _celebration_ sex," she informs him with a twinkle in her eye and a silly grin.

"Celebration sex?" He repeats with an amused smile. "And what does that entail?" He wonders as his fingers trace her spine.

"Well… we're celebrating _you_ , so that means you get to decide… anything you want," she promises.

" _Anything_ I want?" He asks, incredulously.

"Yeah, pretty much," she confirms with a nod.

"Pretty much…" he repeats, as if he's testing out the words. "So… what's off limits?" He questions.

"Off limits? Uh… I don't know," she shrugs. "I mean, it's been four years and I haven't said no to you yet," she reminds him, with a flirtatious smirk.

"No, you haven't," he says, unable to hold back the smile.

"So yeah, anything you want," she reiterates.

"Hmm…" he says, as if he's thinking it over. "So if I said I wanted to…" he begins, taking a moment to pause and think of something appropriately outrageous. "If I said I wanted to... I don't know… if I said I wanted to have a threesome, you'd be all for it?" He asks, obviously not believing that for a second.

"Uh… _is_ that what you want?" She asks, suddenly getting kind of nervous. When she said they could do anything he wanted, she definitely hadn't prepared herself for _that_.

He waits a few seconds, just to have a bit of fun with her, before he starts to shake his head. "No," he assures her, chuckling at her reaction. "I'd never want to share you," he tells her, pulling her body flush against his and allowing his lips to hover over hers.

"Oh really?" She grins at the sentiment, although she's still a little skeptical. "What if it was with another woman?" She challenges.

"Hmm… that's tempting, but no, I'd still want you all to myself," he promises, earning himself a big smile and a passionate kiss from the woman in his arms.

"So, back to that 'anything I want' conversation…" he comments with a silly smile as his hands slide down her back and land back on her ass.

"Oh right… that," she laughs. "Just tell me what you want," she suggests. "I trust you," she adds as she stands on her toes to get closer to him.

Her words hit him right in the heart and he can't help but feel proud that she has that much faith in him, that she trusts him so completely. That's when he swipes his thumb along her jaw as she stares at the woman he loves, just taking her in. "I love you," he declares.

"I love you, too, Sam," she smiles as she runs her fingers through his hair. "Although, you are kind of starting to scare me," she laughs. "Are you just buttering me up so I'll let you do some really fucked up shit to me?" She teases.

"Oh yeah, that's _exactly_ it," he says with sarcasm dripping from his words while he playfully rolls his eyes.

She chuckles in response as an affectionate smile takes over her face. "So… tell me how we're celebrating tonight," she remarks.

He smiles down at her and pushes a lock of hair behind her ear, allowing himself to continue staring at her for a few more moments. She just looks absolutely gorgeous right now… the light in her eyes, the smile on her lips, her hair cascading past her shoulders and her golden skin perfectly complimenting the lingerie she's wearing. He just wants to take another second and memorize everything, so he'll never forget.

But eventually, he blows out a breath and meets her eyes. "Remember that dream you told me about last week?" He questions with a suggestive smile on his lips.

"Oh," she says as a blush spreads across her face. "Yeah, I remember," she confirms, trying to bite back a smile.

"Well, I've kind of been thinking about it ever since," he admits.

"Hmm… so, that's what you wanna do?" She assumes.

"Only if you're into it," he remarks. "Really… if you're not, that's fine," he promises. "You know the last thing I'd ever want is for you to do this just because we're supposed to be celebrating," he tells her. "I mean… seriously.. I'm more than happy having any kind of sex with you," he assures her.

A big smile overtakes her face as Sam rambles on. She's not sure how she could ever love him more.

"With you, I'm into it," she promises.

"Yeah?" He replies. "You sure?"

"I'm sure," she confirms.

He beams back at her and he pulls her close so he can get his lips on hers. She meets each and every one of his kisses before eventually pulling away for some air.

"I hope you know that you're the only person I'd ever consider doing this with," she flirts.

A silly smile appears on his lips as he reaches for her hand and starts to play with her ring. "Well, I'd hope so," he teases.

She chuckles and rolls her eyes slightly. "You _know_ what I mean," she accuses.

"Yeah… I do," he smiles.

"Seriously… you are the only person I would ever trust enough," she explains.

His smile widens as he cups her jaw and plants many more kisses on her.

"Okay… okay," she laughs, as she pulls her head back slightly.

He chuckles before pulling her back in for one more kiss.

"C'mon _Detective_ … time to celebrate!" she exclaims as she pulls him towards the bed.

"Lead the way," he grins.

===========REWRITTEN===========

"Do we _really_ have to go?" Sam groans, as he watches Andy get dressed while he remains lying in bed.

" _Yes_ ," she says with a laugh, as she rifles through a couple drawers, "C'mon, it'll be fun," she assures him. "We'll get dressed up, we'll drink, we'll dance…it'll be great," she tells him, doing her best to be persuasive.

"Yeah, and I'll have to wear a tie, choke down a rubber chicken dinner, make small talk with the white shirts… sounds like a blast," he retorts, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, I already bought a dress," she reasons as she turns to meet his eyes. " _And_ I bought something else, which I think you'll like even better," she tells him suggestively.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" He asks, his interest suddenly peaked, as he gets out of bed and walks towards her.

"What I'll be wearing _underneath_ ," she explains, seductively.

"Hm… care to give me a sneak peek?" He wonders, as his fingertips brush underneath her camisole.

"Sorry, you don't get to see it until the Gala," she declines.

"I don't think I can wait that long," he informs her with a pout.

She chuckles in response as she runs her fingers through his morning bedhead. "I promise, I'll make it worth your while," she vows.

"Oh?" He says. "And how do you plan on doing that?" He wonders.

"You'll have to wait and see," she replies, causing him to pout again. "But don't worry… do I ever disappoint?" She asks.

"No, you don't," he agrees as a smile finally crosses his lips.

"That's what I thought," she says, triumphantly. "So, you'll come with me?" She asks, a beat later.

He eyes her for a few long moments, as if he has to really think about it. Even though he's pretty sure she knows he'll give in, sometimes it's fun to make her sweat a bit.

"You're gonna owe me _big_ for this," he warns her.

"Oh trust me, I know," she flirts, as she tries to bite back the smile. Yeah, he's totally giving in.

"Alright, I'll go," he finally agrees. "But don't think I'm not collecting on this," he advises.

"Oh, I know you will," she retorts. "And I'm looking forward to it," she grins.

===========REWRITTEN===========

"Wow," Sam comments as he walks into their bedroom to find her putting on the diamond studs he bought her for her birthday.

She's wearing a beautiful emerald dress that hugs every single curve and ends about halfway down her thigh, revealing her long, tanned legs. The high neck exposes just a hint of her collarbone and ties into a halter, flattering her shoulders and leaving her back open. Her hair is tied into a bun, that seems just slightly messy, but in a way that's obviously on purpose and she's applied a little more make up than her typical tinted moisturizer and mascara routine.

And well, she looks unbelievable.

When his eyes finally end up back on hers, he can't help but mirror the smile she's wearing.

"You like it?" She asks. Although, it's pretty obvious she already knows the answer.

"You are _gorgeous_ ," he assures her as he takes a few steps toward her and wraps his arms around her waist.

"Thank you," she tells him with a smile, as she starts to straighten his tie. "You're looking very handsome yourself, detective," she flirts.

He smiles and leans in for a few quick kisses before pulling away to look at her again. "You sure you wanna go out tonight?" He wonders while his hand runs up and down her bare back. "We could just skip this thing and stay here tonight," he suggests. "I mean, we're already dressed up, we have plenty of booze and music… there's really no need to go out," he decides as his hand slides down her back and lands on her ass. "Plus, you've been teasing me about what's underneath this dress for weeks… I don't think I can take much more," he tells her.

"Somehow, I think you'll survive," she dismisses with a playful eye roll.

"I don't think you have any idea what you do to me," he retorts.

"No? Do tell," she encourages with a smile.

"I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't focus at work... I've thought about nothing but getting you out of this dress for the past week," he says, dramatically.

"Oh, you poor thing," she mocks.

"You're pretty much torturing me," he quips.

"That so?" She retorts. "I had no idea," she jokes.

"Well, now you know," he replies.

She lets out a laugh and she shakes her head and rolls her eyes a bit. "Sorry Swarek, we're going," she declares.

"You sure?" He wonders, as he gives her ass a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sure," she confirms. "I didn't get all dressed up for nothing," she exclaims.

"It wouldn't be for nothing…. _I'm_ definitely enjoying it," he retorts, allowing his eyes to take another look up and down her body.

She chuckles again, but can't help the smile appearing on her lips. "We're going," she repeats.

"Really?" He asks. "There's nothing I can do to persuade you?" He wonders as he starts to kiss her neck.

"Sam!" She squeals. "Stop it!" She says as she tries to push him away. "You're not getting out of this," she adds as he finally tears his lips off of her.

"Okay, okay," he surrenders. "Worth a shot," he tells her with a smile.

She rolls her eyes once again before glancing at the clock and realizing that their car should be here any minute. "C'mon, the car should be here soon… let's wait outside, it's such a beautiful night," she suggests as she grabs his hand and pulls him out the door.

The moment they step outside, he leans against the railing on their front deck and pulls her into him so he can wrap his arms around her. "Hey," he says with a smile when she lifts her chin to meet his eyes.

"Hey," she replies, completely beaming at him. "Thanks for doing this," she says.

He smiles down at her and wraps his arms around her waist before pulling her against his chest. "It's not a big deal," he dismisses.

"Yes it is, Sam," she replies. "I know this isn't exactly how you'd like to spend your Saturday night… so I... I just really appreciate you coming with me," she smiles.

"Well, there was no way I was gonna let you go to this thing alone, looking this hot," he tells her with a laugh as he gestures down at her body.

She giggles in response as she playfully rolls her eyes at him while attempting to bite back a smile.

"Plus, I knew it'd make you happy and... I like making you happy," he reasons.

And honestly, she can't help but completely swoon at his words. "You are seriously perfect," she tells him.

"I'm far from perfect," he remarks.

"That's not true," she disagrees. "You're definitely perfect for me," she points out with a smile

His lips quickly turn into a grin as he just stares at her, completely beaming. "I'll take it," he decides before leaning in for a kiss.

===========REWRITTEN===========

Well, hope you enjoyed this. PLEASE leave me some reviews! They are my motivation!

I'm coming to the end of the pre-written chapters I have for this story, so I really need some motivation… and IDEAS! Whatever you got, I'll take it! Even just a short prompt or some dialogue or whatever… please send it my way!

Also, I'll probably be posting another chapter of Collection of Thoughts in the coming week, so look out for that.


	39. Doubt

Sorry this took a bit of time to post. As I've mentioned plenty of times, I have a lot of difficulty writing angst, so I've been editing this chapter for _**quite**_ a while. To be honest, I'm still not that happy with it, but I think it's about as good as it'll get lol.

Let me know your thoughts!

===========REWRITTEN===========

"So… how was your shift?" Traci asks, as she and Andy are changing in the locker room.

"Long," Andy replies with a sigh. "Thank God you guys got Larry Chism… if I never have to interview another inmate, it'll be too soon," she adds, dramatically.

"Well then, maybe I shouldn't tell you this…" Traci comments, an uneasy expression splashed across her face.

"Tell me what?" Andy asks, nervously, as she turns to face her best friend.

"Well… after they got Larry back to the station, he… he tried to kill himself," she explains. "He's in the ICU and the doctors have no idea when he'll wake up," she continues. "So, unless he wakes up before morning, Frank is gonna want the rest of those inmates interviewed."

"Ugh," Andy sighs.

"It was that bad?" Traci wonders.

"It was just… uncomfortable… to say the least," Andy begins. "I thought Sam would be happy… us working together again… but he was being weird all day," she explains. "It's like he wanted to be anywhere but there… and he seemed less than thrilled that I was tagging along," she tells her.

"Well, I guess it make sense… I'm sure today was rough on him," Traci offers as she steps into her jeans.

"What do you mean?" Andy questions.

"I just meant… well… I was pretty surprised when he offered to take those interviews, but then I looked at the list and well… you know…" she says, as she glances up at Andy. "I'm assuming it wasn't easy for him," she adds.

"What are you talking about?" Andy asks, getting more confused by the second. She's definitely missing something here.

"Oh," Traci comments as a strange expression appears on her face. "I… uh… I thought you knew," she explains.

"Knew what?" Andy probes, becoming more anxious with each second that ticks by.

"Uh… well… Sam's dad… he was on the list," she informs her, feeling a bit apprehensive about this whole thing.

"His dad?" Andy repeats as she lets the words and what they mean sink in. "He's Larry's sponsor, isn't he?" She assumes.

"Yeah," Traci confirms as she gives Andy a sympathetic look.

"Right…" Andy says as she shuts her locker a bit harder than she needs to. "I gotta go," she tells Traci before darting out of the locker room to go find Sam.

It all makes sense now.

He'd been acting weird all afternoon and until now, she had no idea why.

When she offered to accompany him to the prison, she figured he'd be happy. It's been over six weeks since he made detective and since then, they hadn't had many opportunities to work together. So, she figured he'd welcome the chance to be partners again.

Except, the second he saw her leaning against his truck, he seemed anxious and tense. Right away, she got the sense that he wasn't too pleased that she was coming along.

At first, she thought that maybe she was just being oversensitive, but the closer they got to the prison, the more agitated he became.

Yeah, it was obvious something was bothering him and she just had no idea what.

She tried her best to get it out of him, but he was being extremely tightlipped. So eventually, she decided to just leave him alone. She figured that he'd talk to her when he was ready.

But now, she's not so sure. She has a sinking suspicion that if she didn't accidentally find out on her own, he never would've mentioned it.

And that just doesn't sit right with her.

No, they need to talk about this. He needs to explain himself. She needs to know why he kept this from her, why he wasn't honest.

So, she goes to find him and after a few minutes of searching the hallways, she spots him chatting with Jerry, obviously waiting for her to change.

"Hey," he says with a smile as he sees her approaching them.

"Ready to go?" She asks, casually, not wanting to make a scene in front of Jerry. As much as she wants to know what's going on, she can wait until they're alone.

"Yeah," he nods. "See ya, buddy," he says while patting Jerry on the back. Then, he grabs Andy's hand and leads her out into the parking lot.

She waits until they are steps away from his truck and completely alone before she stops, turns toward him and releases his hand.

With a confused expression splashed across his face, he immediately stops walking and turns to face him. "Everything okay?" He asks, already sensing that something is off.

"No," she replies with a shake of her head.

"What's up?" He asks, as his appearance turns to one of concern.

"Is there anything you want to tell me… about today… about Larry's sponsor?" She questions, trying her best to remain calm.

The moment the words leave her mouth, that anxious expression from earlier once again makes an appearance and it's clear that she's caught him completely off guard. "Uh…" he begins, but he has absolutely nothing to follow it up with.

"Sam, why didn't you tell me?" She asks, while he's still trying to figure out what to say. "Did you really think I wasn't going to find out?"

"I was hoping you wouldn't," he admits as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

" _Why_?" She asks, desperately.

"I… I just don't want you to meet him," he explains.

"So you decided to just hide this from me?" She replies. "That's _not_ okay," she adds.

"I just don't want him in my life… in _our_ life," he clarifies.

"So, if I meet him, that means he suddenly has to be in our lives?" She asks, incredulously, before briefly pausing to give him a chance to respond. Except, once again, he has nothing to say. "And if you _really_ didn't want me to meet him, then fine… but I at least deserved to _know_ … to have a conversation about it," she points out. "I mean, I wouldn't have liked it, but I would've respected your decision," she maintains. "But instead you just try to manipulate me, hoping I'd never find out… it's like you still don't trust me enough to just be honest… don't you think that's a problem?" She asks.

"It doesn't have anything to do with trust," he argues.

"Of _course_ it does," she disputes. "You… you still think that I'm going to change my mind about us if I learn the wrong thing about you," she accuses.

"Andy…" he begins. And once again, he's at a loss for words. Because, the truth is, she's not entirely wrong.

"After everything we've been through, you still have doubts about me," she continues, with this defeated look on her face that's absolutely breaking his heart.

"No, I don't… I don't have _any_ doubts… not about us," he promises as he tries to reach for her, only to have her take a step back.

"If that was true, you would've just talked to me about this," she reasons.

"Andy… I'm sorry," he apologizes, becoming a bit desperate.

"Sam, how can we get married when you're still shutting me out like this?" She questions.

" _What_?" He asks, as a look of pure horror crosses his face.

"I just… I don't know what else I'm supposed to do... if you don't trust me by now, I'm not sure you ever will," she explains as she does her best to fight off the tears threatening to fall.

"Andy stop… I… I'm _sorry_ ," he says again, begging her to stop with this train of thought.

"I know, but…" she says before blowing out a breath. "Sam, I just… I just need some time to think," she tells him.

"What?" He says. "What does _that_ mean?" He questions, as a lump quickly starts to grow in his throat.

"It means… it means I just need to figure things out," she explains.

"Are you… are you _serious_?" He asks, in utter disbelief. Suddenly, everything is just spinning out of control and he has no idea how to stop it.

"My dad is away for the weekend… I'm just gonna stay at his place tonight," she informs him.

"Andy c'mon, let's just talk about this," he implores as he grabs her arm, pleading with her to stay.

"Sam, I don't want to say something I'll regret," she tells him. "I just… I really need some time, okay?" She tells him. "We'll talk in the morning," she promises as she takes a couple steps backwards.

"Andy…" he says, his eyes begging her not to leave.

"We'll talk in the morning," she repeats before she turns around and heads back towards the station, planning to ask Traci for a ride.

"Andy!" He calls after her, but she just keeps walking.

===========REWRITTEN===========

He's not even sure how long he spends pacing around the house before his whole body starts to ache. His head is pounding and his heart feels like it's going to beat out of his chest.

He's tried calling and texting her too many times to count. He just needs to hear her voice. He needs her to tell him that it'll be okay. That they'll work this out. That it's not over.

But she doesn't answer. Not even once.

He almost gets in his car and drives to her dad's apartment at least seven different times. It takes everything in him not to go, but eventually, he's able to convince himself to stay put. As much as he wants to see her, he knows it's a bad idea.

If she needs time, he has to give it to her. No matter how much it absolutely terrifies him.

So, he chugs three glasses of scotch and takes a long, hot shower in an effort to calm down, but it doesn't help much.

He knows there isn't a chance he'll sleep tonight. Not when his entire world is crumbling. Not when she's slipping away and it's all his fault.

What was he thinking?

Why didn't he just tell her about his dad? Why did he have to hide it from her? Why couldn't he just be honest?

He's just… he's been trying so hard to keep her and somehow he's actually gone and pushed her away.

God, he's such an idiot.

===========REWRITTEN===========

As expected, he doesn't sleep at all. And it's absolute hell.

It's the longest night of his life and he spends all of it tossing and turning, going completely out of his mind. He overanalyzes every moment of their day, every word spoken between them. He spends hours staring at his clock, waiting for it to be morning.

And finally, after several torturous hours, the sun finally comes up and he gets out of bed.

Except, it's not even six o'clock yet and he knows he can't show up at Tommy's for another few hours. So, he goes for a run, takes a shower, does two loads of laundry, changes the sheets, cleans out the fridge, organizes the hall closet, takes out the trash, and washes his truck.

And finally, when nine o'clock rolls around, he heads over to Tommy's.

His mind is racing the entire drive over. He's so lost in his thoughts, he almost blows through a stop sign and misses the turn onto Tommy's street. He just has no idea how any of this will go and it makes him more nervous than he can even describe.

When he finally parks his truck, his heart is beating faster than it should and he's so nervous he almost feels nauseous. He can't remember the last time he felt like this.

He takes a few deep breaths in an effort to calm himself before getting out of the truck and heading upstairs.

"Hi," she says, when she opens the door. The moment he sees her, he can tell she didn't get much more sleep than he did. Although it seems like she's been awake for a while, she looks completely exhausted. She's got circles under her eyes and she's a little bit puffy, like she's been crying.

He hates seeing her like this. And knowing that he's the reason behind it… well, he hates that even more.

"Hey," he replies, as he shoves his hands into his pockets, while trying to figure out what he's supposed to say to fix all of this.

"I guess you want to talk," she assumes.

"Yeah," he agrees with a nod as he silently follows her into Tommy's family room.

When she turns back towards him, he knows he should say something, but he has no idea where to even begin.

Everything between them is just so tense and awkward with neither one of them knowing what to say. He can't recall it ever being like this before and he just doesn't know how to make any of it better. All he knows is that he'd give anything to go back to yesterday and do everything differently.

As the seconds tick by, she starts to play with her hair, obviously nervous.

It only takes a moment of watching her before he notices it. And the second he does, he immediately feels sick. He's starting to think he really might throw up.

"You're… you're not wearing your ring," he points out, his stomach dropping at the realization.

He knew it was bad, but he didn't think it was _this_ bad.

"Oh," she says as she looks down at her hand. "I… I was just doing the dishes," she tells him as she gestures towards the kitchen. "Hold on," she says as she walks over to the sink to grab her ring.

"Here it is," she says as she holds her hand up, awkwardly, before slipping the ring on her finger.

The amount of relief he feels, once her ring is back where it belongs, is short-lived. Although he's glad that she's wearing it, it's just impossible to be completely okay when there is all of this tension and uncertainty between them.

"Andy… just tell me what I can do to fix this," He implores.

She blows out a breath and starts to nervously nibble on her lip. "I don't know, Sam," she tells him, with a defeated sigh. "I just… I don't want to keep feeling like this," she adds.

"Like _what_?" He asks as he takes a few steps towards her.

"Like I'm doing something wrong… like I'm not giving you something you need… like I'm failing," she clarifies. "I just… I thought we had worked past this… what happened?" She asks.

"I… I don't know," he shrugs, unable to put his feeling into words.

"Sam, that's an issue," she tells him. "We can't keep things from each other… not if we want this to work," she adds.

"I know… I'm sorry," he apologizes, again, as he runs his fingers through his hair, angry at himself for causing all of this, for upsetting her, for not knowing how to fix it.

"Sam, I love you, but… I can't spend the rest of my life trying to prove myself to you… I've done nothing to deserve that," she continues.

"I _know_ ," he tells her before blowing out a careful breath as he tries to organize his thoughts.

"So…?" She prompts, practically begging him to say something.

As he lets out a heavy sigh, he looks up and meets her eyes. "I just… I guess I'd be lying if I said I didn't still worry that, someday, something will happen to make you change your mind about us… I wish I didn't, but I'm just not sure I can stop," he confesses. "But it has nothing to do with you or anything you're doing… really… you never have to prove yourself to me," he assures her. "This is just the way I am… the way my mind works," he explains. "But, I promise… I'll try harder to ignore it," he vows.

"I don't need you to ignore it, I just need you to talk to me about it," she says as she takes a step forward and grabs his hands. "I mean… Sam, I love you," she declares. "More than I've ever loved anyone and… and I'm _not_ going to change my mind about that," she promises. "But, like I said… I just really need you to let me in… I need you to talk to me… even when you don't want to… even when you're afraid of what I might say or think," she says. "I mean… everything you've told me in the past… I feel like I've always been understanding and supportive… haven't I?" She inquires.

"Yes," he confirms with a nod.

"Right… and I will _continue_ to be understanding and supportive… it's just… for me to do that, I kind of need you to tell me things, you know?" She says. "If you've got something on your mind, if you're worried about something… I want to know all about it, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," he agrees, nodding his head.

"Okay, so… just… just tell me about yesterday… what were you so afraid of? Why didn't you tell me about your dad? What did you think would happen if you did?" She questions.

"I… I don't know," he sighs, although, he knows he has to give her more than that. "My father… he's… he's not a good person," he explains. "And I guess…. I guess, I just don't want you to think that I'm anything like him… or that I'll become like him," he shrugs.

" _Sam_ ," she cries at the absurdity of his statement. "I know _exactly_ who you are," she adds. "I mean… that's ridiculous! Why would that even cross your mind?" She questions.

"I guess… I guess it's because… because sometimes… sometimes _I_ still worry I'll end up like him," he admits, as he tries to avoids eye contact by playing with the strings on her sweatshirt. He's never actually said those words out loud before and although he knows it needed to be said, he's not sure he's ready to look in her eyes and see her reaction.

"That's _crazy_ ," she replies, again surprised by his admission. "Sam, you've told me enough about him for me to be certain that you are _nothing_ like him, okay?" She says while she wraps her arms around his neck in an effort to catch his eye. "You would never do the things that he did… you would never treat people the way he does… I'm _sure_ of that," she declares. "And if you ever doubt that… you just turn around and ask me, okay?" She continues as she runs her fingers through his hair.

"Yeah?" He says. "You gonna be there?" He asks, just needing some confirmation that everything between them will be okay.

"Where else would I be?" She asks with a smile, as she stands on her toes and brings him closer.

Responding with a smile of his own, he pulls her flush against his chest and rests his forehead against hers. "I love you so much," he says softly, his voice still raw with emotion.

"I love you, too, Sam," she promises before leaning in for a kiss.

He briefly deepens the kiss as his fingers get lost in her hair. But, before long, they eventually need to pull away to suck in a few breaths.

"I really am sorry about yesterday," he tells her.

"I know," she replies. "I just never want you to feel like you can't talk to me about something… whatever it is, we'll figure it out together, right?" She asks.

"Yeah," he nods before placing a few more kisses on her lips.

"Okay well, we should probably get going," she mentions, as she pulls away from him slightly. "Shift starts in an hour and you've got to get back to the prison," she adds.

"You're not coming with me?" He questions with some surprise in his eyes.

"Oh… uh, well… do you want me to?" She asks.

He pauses to consider her question for a moment while he tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. As much as it scares him, he knows what he has to do. "Yeah… I do," he nods. "I think it's about time you met my old man," he adds with as much of a smile as he can muster.

"Yeah? You sure?" She asks. "I don't have to go if you don't want me to… if you're not ready," she tells him.

He smiles at her, thankful for the sentiment, but if he doesn't do this now, he's not sure he ever will. "I'm not sure I'll _ever_ be ready, but… I think I'm as close as I'm gonna get," he explains.

"Okay… then I guess we should get going," she replies with a reassuring smile.

"Let's go," he agrees with an uneasy expression.

===========REWRITTEN===========

"You nervous?" She asks, as the two of them stand outside the interview room. He's been on edge ever since they left the station, and it only got worse the closer they got to the prison. And now that they're here, well, he's not exactly calm.

"Yeah," he admits as he briefly glances down at her.

"It'll be okay," she promises as she quickly squeezes his hand.

"Yeah…" he nods, although he's not even trying to pretend that he believes it. "But listen… just uh… just don't tell him we're getting married, okay?" He requests. "And maybe take off the ring," he adds, glancing down at her left hand.

"What? Why?" She asks with furrowed brows.

"Because… he'll take it as some kind of challenge… he'll try even harder to get in between us," he explains.

"Sam… what could he possibly say?" She wonders.

"I… I don't know… but he'll come up with something," Sam replies.

"Sam, he can say whatever he wants… it doesn't matter," she tells him. "I _love_ you, okay?" She implores. "No matter what happens," she says as she takes his hand again and squeezes.

"Okay," he says, nodding his head and willing himself to believe her, before lifting their intertwined hands and kissing the back of her palm. "I love you, too," he says.

"Good," she says with a smile. "Now, let's do this," she adds as she starts to pull him towards the interview room.

"Ready?" She asks, moments later, once they're standing outside the door.

"Not really," he admits.

"It'll be fine," she assures him. "And even if it isn't… _we_ will still be fine," she promises.

"Yeah," he replies, half-heartedly, before blowing out a breath, dropping her hand and opening the door.

"You know, I heard you were here… wasn't sure you'd have the stones to face your old man after all these years," Jay remarks the moment Sam and Andy walk into the room.

"Well, here I am," Sam says derisively.

"And who is this?" Jay asks as his eyes land on Andy.

"This is Officer McNally," Sam informs him as he pulls out a chair and takes a seat across the table from his father.

"Andy," she amends as she sits down beside Sam.

"Andy, huh?" Jay says as he leans back in his chair while an unsettling smile appears on his lips. "You were so scared to see me that you had to bring your girlfriend as back up?" Jay snickers.

"Funny," Sam remarks with a roll of his eyes.

"You know, Sarah mentioned you were seeing a woman named Andy, but she never mentioned this," he says, gesturing towards her engagement ring. "You pick this out, Sammy?" He asks, rhetorically. "It's nice… not as nice as your mother's ring, but nice," he mentions, seemingly trying his best to piss Sam off.

"Yeah well, my mother's ring was stolen," Sam retorts, half under his breath, as Andy places her hand on his thigh, in an effort to calm him.

"Hey, I was willing to spend a year in lock up to make sure she had something nice on her finger... I think that means a hell of a lot more than just shelling out a bit of cash," he replies.

Sam's rolling his eyes hard and Andy can practically feel his blood pressure starting to rise, so she takes it upon herself to try and switch gears before this all gets out of hand. "So… we want to ask you some questions about an inmate you sponsored… Larry Chism," she informs Jay.

"Ah right," Jay responds. "I'll talk to you about Larry…. _alone_ ," he says as he glances over at Sam with a wicked smile. "Gotta get to know my future daughter in law," he adds with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"That's not happening," Sam retorts.

"Well, then I guess you wasted the trip," Jay shrugs.

"Guess so," Sam replies before standing up. "Let's go," he tells Andy, as he gestures towards the door.

Andy nods her head, gets up out of her chair and follows Sam out into the hallway.

"Sam, maybe I should just talk to him," Andy suggests the moment they are alone.

"Andy, he's just playing with us. He probably doesn't even know anything," Sam responds.

"Maybe… but I'd like to at least _see_ if he knows something," Andy replies. "Just give me a few minutes with him, okay? We need to be sure," she reminds him.

"Andy…" he begins, obviously hesitant about the idea.

"Sam, it's okay, just… trust me… please?" She requests. "I've got this," she assures him. "Why don't you take the next inmate on the list and I'll meet you in there in a few minutes?" She proposes. "I promise… just a few minutes."

Seemingly mulling it over, he continues to stare at her before eventually blowing out a breath. "Okay," he agrees, although it's rather obvious he's not exactly thrilled with the plan.

"Okay," she smiles. "I'll see you in a few minutes," she promises before she starts to turn and head towards the door.

"Hey," he says as he grabs her hand, causing her to turn back to him. "I love you," he says while squeezing her hand.

"Sam… I love you, too," she smiles. "It'll be okay," she assures him, seeing his obvious unease with all of this. "I won't be long, I promise," she adds before giving him a reassuring smile.

"Okay," he replies before releasing her hand and watching her walk back into the interview room, hating every second of it.

"Ah, back so soon?" Jay comments, apparently pleased with himself, the moment she opens the door.

"Look, if you have any information about Larry Chism, you've got five minutes," she declares as she takes a seat at the table.

"Oh I've got lots of information about Larry, but first… tell me what Sammy's told you about me," Jay demands.

Andy rolls her eyes, but ultimately decides that she'll play along… at least for now. "Not much," she shrugs.

"No? He didn't tell you how I ended up here? I can't say I'm surprised," he tells her.

"Actually, that's one of the few things he _has_ told me about you," Andy retorts.

Jay's eyebrows jump at her words, obviously surprised, but he quickly schools his features. "He told you, huh?" He asks.

"Yeah, he told me," Andy confirms.

"Hmm… and you still want to marry him?" He wonders. "You want to be with someone who would do that to their own father? To the man that gave him life? Put a roof over his head? Food on the table?" He lists. "That's really the person you want to be with?"

"I said yes, didn't I?" she asks as she wiggles her ring finger in the air.

"You know, if I were you, I'd be a little more concerned… I know he pretends to be all high and mighty with that precious badge of his, but deep down, he's not who you think he is," Jay contends. "He's got demons," he alleges.

"Don't we all?" Andy retorts.

"Sure," Jay agrees with a shrug. "But really… what he did… doesn't it make you wonder whether you can trust him? Whether he'd do the same thing to you some day?" Jay questions.

"I trust Sam more than anyone," she declares. "But sure, it makes me wonder… it makes me wonder what he must've gone through to feel like that was his only option," she remarks.

Jay scoffs at her words and is just about to come back at her with something else when she interrupts.

"Look, we have other inmates to interview, so if you don't want to talk about Larry Chism, then I should probably get going," she says as she gets up out of her chair. "It was nice meeting you," she lies.

With that, Andy walks out of the room only to find Sam leaning against the wall a few feet away, apparently waiting for her.

"I thought you were starting the next interview?" Andy comments as she walks over to him.

"Figured I'd wait for you," he tells her, obviously trying to read her body language.

She gives him a reassuring smile and throws her arms around his neck, while his hands automatically land on her waist. "Your Dad's an ass," she declares.

"I know," he responds.

"Still love you, though," she says, beaming at him.

He smiles and pulls her as close as possible before planting a kiss on her. "I love you, too," he says, wrapping her up in his arms. "So much."

============REWRITTEN===========

"Are we okay?" Sam asks Andy, that night, as the two of them lie in bed.

She lifts her head to meet his eyes as he runs his fingers through her hair and waits for her response. "Yeah," she tells him, slowly nodding her head.

"You sure?" He probes, feeling like there may be somethings left unsaid.

"Sam…" she begins as she blows out a breath before she sits up and takes a moment to consider her words. "You know… I've always felt like I could talk to you about anything… that, no matter what, you would always listen and you would never judge me… I've always been so sure about that," she explains. "But, the fact that you don't feel the same way about me… that… that just really sucks," she tells him.

"Andy, it's not like that," he tries to tell her.

"It's not?" She questions, not really believing him. "Really?"

"I know you would listen and I know you'd never judge me… I just…" he says, unsure what else he can say without upsetting her.

"You just, what?" She asks.

"I… I don't know," he shrugs.

"Sam, c'mon… stop being so careful around me… just say what you're thinking… what you're feeling… _please_ ," she urges.

He lets out a breath as he considers how to tell her what he wants to say. "It's just that… these past four years, I've honestly never been happier… not even close," he tells her. "And well… my greatest fear is… is that I'll lose that… that I'll lose _you_ ," he declares. "And so, ever since we got together, I've been doing everything I can to avoid that…and… I guess I've been letting that fear impact my judgment and it's caused me to make some mistakes," he explains.

"Sam, what makes you think that you're gonna lose me?" She questions.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "It's just always been in the back of my head that it could happen and it scares the shit out of me," he admits.

"Sam, I just… I want you to always be confident in us… in _me_ … and I don't know why you aren't," she tells him. "Is it something I'm doing? Something I'm not doing?" She wonders.

"No, it's nothing like that," he promises. "I guess it's because I've never really felt like I deserved you in the first place," he confesses.

" _Sam_!" She exclaims, completely shocked by his admission. "That's just…. that's completely _insane_ ," she declares, unsure how else to put it. "Why would you ever think that?"

"I don't know," he says, with another shrug. "It's just the way I feel," he adds.

For the next few seconds, she simply stares at him, slightly shaking her head, completely overwhelmed by his confession. Her heart is breaking at his words and she just can't believe those thoughts would ever cross his mind. Truthfully, the whole idea is beyond ridiculous.

"Sam…" she begins before she throws her leg over his body, so she's on his lap, and then pulls him up, so he's sitting and they are face to face. He immediately wraps his arms around her and holds her close, as he waits for her to continue. "It's like you have no idea just how much I love you," she muses as she runs her fingers through his hair. "I mean, you are… without a doubt… the absolute best decision I ever made," she declares as her hands frame his face. "And look, I know you aren't perfect… I know you can be grouchy and overprotective and apparently kind of pessimistic," she chuckles. "But yet, I'm still insanely in love with you and I can't believe how lucky I am that I get to marry you," she adds, breaking out into a smile as the thought runs through her mind.

"Yeah?" He says, needing just a bit more reassurance.

" _Yes_ ," she promises before leaning in for a kiss. "And seriously… there are _very_ few things you could ever do to lose me," she informs him. "So, you really don't need to worry about that."

"Well, maybe you can send me the list so we can be sure to avoid it," he comments, lightheartedly.

She chuckles in response before leaning in and pressing her lips to his again. When she pulls away, a moment later, she eyes him for a few seconds as she contemplates what else needs to be said.

"Sam… you and me… whatever happens… we can figure it out, whatever it is," she assures him. "But you just have to _talk_ to me, okay? You just have to tell me what's going on in your head," She continues. "I mean, we can't figure it out it if I'm not included in the conversation, you know?"

"I know," he confirms.

"Okay so, from now on, no more secrets… everything's out in the open?" She suggests. "If something is bothering you, you'll tell me and whatever it is, we'll work it out?"

"Yeah," he promises.

"Okay good," she replies.

"So… we're okay?" He asks again.

Smiling, she nods her head. "Yes," she promises. "More than okay."

============REWRITTEN===========

Well, that's about as much angst as this story is gonna get, so hopefully you enjoyed it lol.

The next chapter is only about half written, so please leave lots of reviews to motivate me. They seriously do help!

On another note, any one of my readers ever been to San Francisco? It's my first time going next week and I'd love to get some suggestions from anyone that's actually been. We're gonna do some of the touristy stuff like Alcatraz, Muir Woods, Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square, North Beach… we'll probably go to the Sutra Baths… but I'd love some suggestions for other stuff to do. If anyone knows of great restaurants, bars, clubs or some great shows to see, I'd love to hear about it!

Thanks!


	40. Seclusion

Hey guys, I know it's been a while since I updated this story, but we have an INSANE trial starting in just over a week, so I've been working late every night and will be working the next two weekends. Tonight I actually left work before 8PM, so I figured I should probably post this before I crash lol.

I know it's not my best, but I think it's cute and I hope you like it!

============REWRITTEN===========

The moment the lights flicker, a loud booming sound ricochets in his ears and an intense sinking feeling immediately overcomes him. Having no idea what just happened, he knows he needs to find out, so he quickly locks Ted McDonald's cuffs to the table and makes his way out of the interrogation room without a second thought.

The instant he opens the door, the unsavory combination of smoke, dust and dirt fills his lungs and begins to burn his eyes. Fighting the pain, he makes his way down the hallway and finds several disoriented officers attempting to get their bearings.

That's when his stomach really drops and his heartrate starts to climb. With the amount of debris floating in the air and the number of people who've obviously been thrown to the ground, he's pretty sure he knows what happened here, and coming to that conclusion only makes him desperate to find Andy.

Immediately, he starts to jog down the hallway, silently praying that she already made it back from the evidence room and avoided getting caught in any of this mess, but given that he only left her a few minutes prior, he's not especially optimistic.

It's only seconds later that he's opening the door to the evidence room to discover that not only is it where the explosion originated, but that Andy was inside when it happened.

And as he digs through the wreckage, his heart is racing faster than it ever has and the lump in his throat is growing by the second. He can't recall ever feeling like this. Of all the times she's gotten in trouble and he's been afraid for her safety, it's _never_ been like this. This time she could actually be…

No, he can't even think it.

He just needs to find her and she needs to be okay. He can't begin to comprehend anything else.

His lungs are burning from the smoke and dust and he's frantically searching for her, but the room is such a mess, he's having a lot of difficulty. He keeps calling out to her, but each time she doesn't respond, he becomes even more panicked.

With every passing moment, he gets more desperate to find her, doing his best to keep the negative thoughts from infiltrating his mind. And after what feels like an eternity of searching, he finally hears her voice and it's one of the best things he's ever heard.

He urgently digs through the piles of evidence until he reaches her and the second he sees that she's really okay, it's like the biggest weight in the world has been lifted off of him.

Although he's never felt more relieved, all of the emotions swirling through him are so overwhelming that all he can do is simply collapse beside her and try to catch his breath.

But she's okay and that's all that matters.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to the hospital?" He asks he guides her up their driveway with a hand on the small of her back.

"I'm okay," she assures him. "The EMTs checked me out," she reminds him.

"I know, I'd just feel better if you'd let a doctor look at you," he argues as he unlocks their front door and leads her inside.

"Sam, I'm okay, I promise" she tells him. "I was mostly protected by that shelf," she adds as they walk into the kitchen together.

"I know," he says as his hands land on her waist and he looks her over, not for the first time. He's just still in a bit of disbelief that she made it out of there relatively unscathed. "How are your ears?" He asks as he tucks a lock of hair behind one of them.

"They finally stopped ringing," she says, happily.

Responding with a small smile, he gently runs his fingers down her arms. "Are you sore?" He asks as his eyes lock on hers, concern playing on his face.

"A little," she lies.

He rolls his eyes at her a bit, obviously aware that she's downplaying her injuries. "I'm gonna get you some Advil," he offers as he opens the drawer in the kitchen where they keep various over the counter medication. After dumping out two pills and dropping them in her hand, he pours her a glass of water, which she takes with a grateful smile. Then, he watches as she pops the pills into her mouth and takes a large sip of water.

"Thanks," she says.

He nods his head in response as he gently massages one of her shoulders. "You hungry? Want me to make you anything?" He asks.

"No," she tells him with a shake of her head. "I just need to take a shower… I feel like I'm covered in dust," she explains as she wrinkles her nose in disgust.

"Okay," he agrees, nodding his head.

"Okay…" she replies. "Can you uh… can you help me?" She asks, hesitantly.

Happy that she's actually asking for his help instead of putting on a brave face and doing this alone, he smiles and lifts her chin so he can catch her lips for a quick kiss. "Of course," he tells her as his fingers slide down her arm until he reaches her hand and interlocks their fingers. Without another word, he leads her upstairs, through their bedroom and into the bathroom.

Releasing her hand, he goes to turn on the shower and when he turns back to towards her, he finds her struggling to remove her top, obviously in a great deal of pain.

He can't help but roll her eyes at her. Didn't she _just_ ask him to help?

"Let me get that," he says as he grabs the hem of her shirt and then very slowly lifts it over her head.

"Thanks," she replies with a smile before she starts to unbutton and unzip her jeans. But then, when she attempts to pull them down her legs, her face starts to contort in pain once again.

"Here, sit down," he tells her as he gestures towards the toilet seat.

She nods her head and puts the cover down before taking a seat on it. That's when Sam kneels in front of her and slowly slides her jeans down her legs, allowing his fingertips to graze her soft skin. Once her jeans are in a pile on the floor, he quickly slips her socks off her feet, stands up, and offers her a hand to help her up.

As soon as she's standing in front of him, he can't help but pull her into a hug. And for the next several minutes, he just enjoys the feel of her in his arms while his fingertips lightly trace her spine.

"I love you," he whispers into her ear.

In response to his words, she lifts her head to meet his eyes and offers a smile. "Love you, too," she tells him.

That's when he cups her face and just looks at her, taking her all in and reassuring himself that she really is okay.

While he knows that she's completely safe in his arms right now, he came way too close to losing her today and it's kind of messing with his head.

"Sam… I'm fine, I promise," she assures him, seemingly reading his thoughts.

"I know," he replies, as his hands slide down her neck, shoulders and arms before landing on her waist. "I just… I really thought you weren't," he says, his voice rough with emotion.

"I know, but I'm okay," she reminds him as she wraps her arms tightly around his stomach and pulls him back into a hug. "I'm okay," she repeats.

"You've gotta stop getting into this situations… you're gonna give me an ulcer… and premature grey hair… and probably a heart attack," he murmurs.

"I'll try," she agrees.

He smiles down at her before kissing her temple and spending another minute just holding her in his arms.

"Water's gonna get cold," she comments, eventually.

"Yeah," he agrees. "We should probably get in," he adds before he helps her out of her bra and underwear and then removes his own clothing. Moments later, he is assisting her with getting into the shower and stepping in behind her.

As he watches the droplets of water cascade down her body, he can't stop thinking how lucky he is that today turned out the way it did. He had been so close to losing her…. if she hadn't been behind that shelf… if the bomb had gone off just a few seconds earlier… he could've been coming home without her tonight.

A chill rushes down his spine at the thought.

Life without her… it's not something he could ever fathom.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"Mmm… I can't believe we don't have to go back to work for a whole month," Andy muses as the two of them are snuggling in bed together. "The last time I had this many days off was after graduating from the academy… what are we even gonna do with ourselves?" She wonders, as she lifts her head to meet Sam's gaze.

"Hmm… I can think of a few things we can do," he flirts as his fingertips graze under her tank top and travel up her back.

"Oh yeah?" She grins as her face inches closer to his.

"Yeah," he replies as he carefully maneuvers her body so she's lying on top of him. It's been a few days since the explosion and although she's doing a lot better, she's still a little sore.

"So… staying in bed for three weeks straight? Is that how we're spending our vacation?" She chuckles.

"I could think of worse ways to spend our time off," he replies, smiling back at her.

"True," she concedes. "But I think we should probably get out of bed _once_ in a while," she decides.

"We will," he assures her. "I mean… we've gotta eat," he quips. "And we should probably shower once in a while… and change the sheets," he quips.

She playfully rolls her eyes at that, all while shaking her head a bit. "I _meant_ , we should probably get out of the house once in a while," she clarifies.

"If you say so," he shrugs as his hand runs up and down the back of her thigh.

"I do," she smiles.

"Okay, well… I could ask Oliver if we could use the cabin for a week or two," he suggests.

"Really? He's not using it?" She asks, surprised.

"Nope… he told me he's picking up some shifts at 27 division," Sam explains.

"Why would he do that? We're getting paid time off," Andy responds.

"I don't know… I asked him and he mumbled something about college tuition being a racket," Sam tells her.

"A racket?" She laughs. "What is he a seventy five year old man?" She jokes.

"Maybe," Sam chuckles as his fingers slide through her hair.

"Well, I think a week or two at the cabin would be great," Andy declares, getting back on track. "We can do all of those things we never have enough time to do when we're only staying for the weekend," she proposes.

"Okay, but just so you know… we're also spending a _lot_ of time in bed," he informs her with a suggestive smile.

She responds with a laugh and a smile. "Deal."

==============REWRITTEN=============

"I can't believe I get you all to myself for three whole weeks," Andy exclaims, cheerfully, as Sam walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist while placing a few kisses on her neck. "What did I do to deserve this?" She muses as she leans into him, turning her head to steal a quick kiss.

"Well, you did almost get blown up," he reminds her after their kiss.

"Oh… that's right," she jokes, before he turns her body, so she's facing him, and plants a few more kisses on her. "Seriously though… how did you convince Oliver to give you the cabin for three weeks?" Andy asks, once they part.

"I don't know why you're surprised… you know how persuasive I can be," he grins, exposing his dimples and wiggling his eyebrows, causing her to laugh.

"Oh I know," she retorts. "I just didn't think the dimples worked on Oliver," she teases.

"They work on _everybody_ ," he smirks.

"Right… of course," she giggles, smiling back up him. "So… thanks to Celery forcing Oliver to go mushroom picking up north, we've got three whole weeks together in his cabin," she declares, happily. "No work, no distractions… just you and me," she adds.

"Can't think of a better way to spend the next three weeks," he replies with an adoring smile.

"Me either," she agrees before he pulls her in for another kiss. "So, what should we do first?" She wonders as her arms slip around his neck.

"Hmm… that's a tough one," he muses, his eyes playfully meeting hers. "You?" He suggests as he picks her up off the ground, while her legs voluntarily wrap around his waist.

"That works," she grins as he carries her to the bedroom.

==============REWRITTEN=============

"We're on vacation," Andy declares after she and Sam clean up the remnants of dinner, later that night.

"I know," Sam says with a laugh.

"So we should do something," Andy continues.

"Like what?" He questions, already amused.

"Something fun and exciting and a little bit crazy," Andy tells him with a mischievous smile.

"Ohh… so, you want a repeat of earlier," Sam assumes with a teasing tone while his fingers slip under the hem of her shirt.

"That's not _exactly_ what I meant," she retorts, playfully rolling her eyes.

Running his fingers through her hair, Sam chuckles in response. "Okay… you got something specific in mind?" He wonders.

"Hmm…" Andy says as she ponders the question. "Oh! Let's go swimming," she decides.

"It's dark outside," Sam points out.

"So? That'll make it even more fun… swimming under the stars… pretty romantic," she says with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Sam eyes her for a moment, as if he's considering the idea, but eventually he nods his head, holds out his hand and says, "Okay, let's go."

With a big grin on her face, Andy jumps up and grabs his hand. "Okay, let's put on our bathing suits, grab some towels and we can walk down to the beach," Andy instructs.

"Okay boss," Sam quips, earning a laugh from her.

It's about five minutes later that the two of them are walking, hand in hand, down towards the small patch of sand next to the dock. Once they reach the "beach," Andy drops her stuff in the sand and Sam follows suit.

"Ready?" Sam asks as he turns towards Andy.

"Almost," Andy replies as she starts to untie her bikini.

"What are you doing?" Sam questions.

"We're going skinny dipping," she explains.

"We are?" He responds.

"Yep," she says with a grin.

"Then why did we put on our bathing suits?" He wonders.

" _Well…_ I don't know," she shrugs. "I mean… I didn't want to walk down here naked," she replies as her bikini top falls to the ground.

"I wouldn't have minded," he tells her as his hands rest on her waist while his eyes are all but devouring her bare chest.

"I'm sure," she quips with a laugh. "Now hurry up and take those off," she tells him as she impatiently gestures towards his bathing suit.

"Sorry… you can't just start taking your top off and expect me to remain focused," he explains as he pulls his bathing suit down his legs.

She lets out a laugh and shimmies out of her bikini bottom before once again closing the distance between them. She snakes her arms around his neck and pulls them close so their bodies are pressed up against each other. "Now, I'm ready," she smiles as his hands land on the small of her back.

Smiling, he immediately leans down to kiss her.

A moment later, he lifts her up, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist and then carries her into the water.

"Ooh the water's nice," Andy comments as they are finally far enough out that her calves are almost fully under water.

"Yeah," he agrees as he bends his knees, so their bodies are more than half way submerged.

"Wasn't this a good idea?" She asks with a smile.

"Mhm," he nods before leaning in to kiss her while his hands explore her smooth skin.

She happily sighs against his lips, enjoying the feel of his hands sliding over each and every curve of her body, while her fingers run through his hair.

And as he so often does, he's got her moaning his name and helplessly squirming in his arms within minutes.

As times goes on, her kisses quickly become even more desperate and the way she's angling her body… he knows what she's aiming for.

And he's more than happy to give it to her.

==============REWRITTEN=============

Well, there you have it.

Hope you enjoyed! Please review! They really do brighten my day! (Especially when I'm working 10-12 hour days for 6-7 days each week)


	41. Bliss

Sorry for the long wait guys. As I mentioned before, work has been SO crazy with this trial going on. It's basically messing up my whole summer. Bleh.

Last week, I worked from 9AM- 11PM every day, including Saturday and Sunday! So yeah, that's my excuse for not posting. I pretty much collapsed on my bed the second I got home lol.

Anyway, this chapter was originally way too short, so I combined it with the next one. Hopefully it's not too choppy.

Let me know what you think!

====================REWRITTEN====================

"You wanna grab a drink or is the Mrs. expecting you home soon?" Oliver teases as he shuts his locker and turns towards his best friend.

Sam does his best to bite back the smile that's threatening to appear, but he's not entirely successful. He just can't help it. The thought of Andy being his wife is something he can't help but smile about.

"I can't tonight," he tells Oliver once he gets his facial expressions under control. "I told Andy I'd come home after shift," he explains.

"Ah," Oliver responds with an amused grin.

"Shut up, it's our anniversary," Sam defends.

"Oh yeah? How long it's been?" Oliver wonders.

"Five years," Sam tells him.

"Wow… has it really been that long?" Oliver muses.

"I know, it doesn't seem like it, does it?" Sam agrees. "It's kind of flown by," he adds.

"Well… that tends to happen when you're happy," Oliver replies.

"Yeah," Sam concurs with a nod. "I just keep waiting for things to get… I don't know… boring?" Sam explains. "Isn't that what's supposed to happen when you've been with someone this long?" He wonders.

"Yeah, kindda," Oliver jokes.

"I don't know… I mean, I still miss her when I'm not with her… I still look forward to seeing her… I still _want_ to be with her all the time," Sam admits.

"Well… then, I suggest never letting her go," Oliver advises.

"Yeah… pretty sure that's why I bought her that ring," Sam smiles.

"Smart," Oliver retorts.

"I thought so," Sam quips.

====================REWRITTEN====================

It's a little after six o'clock and Andy is standing by the stove, stirring some pasta, when she feels a pair of hands slip around her waist and a breath in her ear. Not realizing that he had come home, she initially jumps at his touch, but then his familiar scent hits her nose and she immediately relaxes in his arms.

"Hey," he murmurs in her ear before briefly nibbling on it.

"Hey," she sighs as she tilts her head to let him at her neck.

He places several kisses from below her earlobe all the way to her collarbone before spinning her around and letting his eyes all but devour her.

"Jesus, look at you," he groans, not bothering to hide the utter appreciation in his gaze.

Smiling up at him, Andy slips her arms around his neck as his eyes continue to linger at her chest. Yeah, the dress she bought specifically for the occasion is having quite the effect on him – it's black, plunging and hugs her in all the right places, so she pretty much knew Sam would love it the moment she tried it on.

When he's finally done taking in every inch of her body in her new dress, his eyes lock on hers as they exchange a smile. "What are you making?" He asks as he sneaks a peek over her shoulder at the various ingredients scattered over the counter.

"Your favorite," she replies, obviously pretty pleased with herself.

His lips curve into a smile as he brushes a lock of hair behind her ear. "I really feel like I should be taking you out tonight," he tells her.

"I know, but I'd much rather spend some time together at home… just the two of us," she assures him.

"Still, five years… it's a pretty big deal… you sure you don't want to go out and celebrate?" He asks, still a bit suspicious that she's only doing this because she assumes that he'd rather stay in.

When she turned down his suggestion of going to dinner a few weeks ago, he was pretty surprised, but she kept insisting that she'd prefer to have a quiet night at home.

"Oh don't worry, we're _definitely_ going to celebrate," she says with a smirk and a flash of her bedroom eyes.

He lets out an amused laugh before framing her face with his hands and pulling her in for a kiss. "Well, just so you know, for our ten year anniversary, you're letting me take you out," he informs her as a smile plays on his lips.

"Deal," she agrees.

====================REWRITTEN====================

Almost two hours later, the dishes are in the sink, the leftovers are in the fridge and their clothes are scattered across their bedroom floor. It's been almost ten minutes since she fell onto the mattress, but he's really taking his time tonight.

Yeah, he seems intent on teasing her, taking it slow like he sometimes does when they're alone and have nowhere to go and nothing to do but be together. He's peppering her body with kisses as his hands caress every familiar curve of her body. And every time his eyes briefly lock on hers, a chill runs down her spine at what she sees.

All this time they've been together and that look… it still gets to her.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is, but it's something in his eyes… when he looks at her like that… it makes her feel like she couldn't possibly be any more loved than she is by him.

And the way he touches her… no man has ever come close to touching her like that. It's like he couldn't possibly get tired of having his hands on her.

And the way he kisses her… so passionate and deep… she's never been kissed like that by anyone else.

Being with him… it's beyond anything she's ever experienced before.

Every guy she's ever been with… they never made her feel like this… not even close.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks when he notices that she seems a little lost in her thoughts.

Running her fingers through his hair, she grins as their eyes meet.

"What?" He asks as he smiles back at her.

"I was just thinking that… you know, the other guys I've been with-"

"Wait, _what_?!" He asks, his eyes widening, as he interrupts her train of thought.

Giggling, she realizes what he must be thinking. "No, I was just thinking that… I mean… before we got together, the guys I'd slept with… they…" she tries to explain.

"Okay, _where_ is this conversation going?" He asks, interrupting her once again, as he sits back on his heels, getting more confused by the second.

"Sam!" She giggles. "Stop interrupting," she exclaims.

"Okay…" he replies, apprehensively, as he waits for her to continue.

"What I was _trying_ to say is that… before we got together… well… I _thought_ I'd had great sex, but I don't know… I mean, with you… it's always been on a completely different level," she says, briefly pausing to smile up at him. "I've just never felt so… connected to another person… so loved… so understood… it's like you know everything I want without me even saying it," she adds. "No one has ever made me feel the way you do… or looked at me the way you do… no one else even comes close," she tells him. " _That's_ what I was thinking about," she says.

A smile immediately touches his lips as he frames her jaw with his hand. "I love you," he declares.

"I love you, too," she replies, happily, as she tugs at his shoulders to get him closer.

He quickly obliges and is soon hovering over her again as he places a few scattered kisses on her neck. Humming in response, Andy tilts her head to the side to give him more room to work.

Then, moments later, the sound of him chuckling against her skin brings her back to reality. "What?" She asks as she pulls her head back so she can see his face.

"Just really wasn't sure where you were going with that," he laughs.

"Sorry," she chuckles before pulling him towards her for a kiss. He immediately presses his lips to hers as his hands run down her sides. As he refocuses his attention back to her neck, her fingers begin to lazily trace his spine as she enjoys the feel of his mouth on her throat.

"It's been a really great five years, hasn't it?" She muses after a minute or so ticks by. The moment the words leave her lips, she feels his smile against her skin and immediately mirrors the expression.

"Best five years I've ever had," he agrees.

====================REWRITTEN====================

Sam considers himself to be a progressive man.

He knows women can be cops and doctors and CEOs of billion dollars companies. He knows they can be mothers and have full time jobs. He knows that they can be the breadwinners of the family. He knows they can be anything they want to be.

Yeah, he believes all of that stuff and still, the sight of Andy McNally in the kitchen, wearing an apron over her dress and making dinner for his family… it's doing things to him.

But because he considers himself to be a progressive man, he's not exactly proud of how he's feeling.

He just… he can't help it.

He _really_ likes seeing her like this.

"Hey," she says with a smile as she notices him watching from the doorway.

"Hey," he replies as he walks up behind her, wraps his arms around her waist and rests his chin on her shoulder. "Thanks for doing all this," he tells her before placing a kiss on her shoulder.

Her smile widens as she places the vegetable peeler on the counter and leans back into his arms. "Well, now that your mom is done with her program, I figured it's about time we get everybody together, you know?" She mentions. "So, she knows that we're all here for her," she explains.

He tightens his grip on her, pulling her closer and letting the familiar smell of her shampoo fill his nostrils.

God, he is so in love with her.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" he muses.

He can sense the smile on her lips before she turns in his grasp and snakes her arms around his neck. She leans in to give him a quick kiss before pulling away, obviously about to say something. Except, he's got something he needs to say first.

"Let's get married," he says suddenly.

"We _are_ getting married," she reminds him, her mouth curving into a silly smile.

"I mean, _soon_ ," he clarifies. "Let's set a date."

"Oh," she says with a laugh. "We could do that," she agrees, beaming up at him.

"Yeah?" He asks, unable to keep the joy from his face.

"Yeah, definitely," she confirms. "Let's do it," she grins.

"Okay," he agrees. With a widening smile, as he quickly pulls her in for a kiss, letting it last a little bit longer than he normally would when they have company in the other room.

"I figured I'd find you in here," Lynn exclaims, several seconds later, surprising both Sam and Andy and causing them to quickly pull apart.

"Just seeing if Andy needed any help," Sam reasons.

"Yeah, I saw exactly how you were _helping_ ," Lynn teases, causing Sam to roll his eyes while a blush spreads across Andy's cheeks. "Why don't you go spend some time with your sister? I'll help Andy," she decides. "It'll be nice for us to catch up."

After glancing back at Andy to confirm she's okay with it, Sam nods his head in agreement. With that, he quickly squeezes Andy's hand and kisses her temple before leaving the kitchen to go find Sarah.

"He is seriously smitten," Lynn declares with an amused smile as she ties an apron around her waist and then goes to wash her hands in the sink.

"Well, the feeling is mutual," Andy smiles as she picks up the vegetable peeler and gets back to work.

Lynn glances over at Andy and responds with a smile before focusing her attention on chopping the vegetables that Andy has already peeled. "I'm still not used to it… seeing him so happy and carefree… it's like he's lighter somehow," she muses. "And I have to say, I really like it," she adds with a smile. "I just… I hope you know how much you mean to him… how happy you make him," she adds, catching Andy's eye.

"I know," Andy assures her. "And I feel the same way," she insists. "Sam… he means _everything_ to me… and he makes me happier than I've ever been," she adds.

For a moment, Lynn just stares at her future daughter-in-law, obviously trying to hold back the emotions that are threatening to spill over. And eventually, she's finally able to get it together and simply smiles back at Andy. "I'm just so glad you two found each other," she tells her.

"Me too," Andy agrees with a smile of her own.

Truthfully, she can't imagine anything else.

====================REWRITTEN====================

"So… I think dinner was a success, don't you?" Andy asks as Sam walks out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth.

"Definitely," he agrees as he crawls on the bed and hovers over her.

"We should get everybody together more often… and maybe invite my dad next time," she proposes. "I mean, we're all gonna be family soon, right?" She asks, a smile finding her lips.

"Right," he confirms, his eyes beaming at her.

"We should totally have regular family dinners, you know?" She suggests. "At least every couple months," she offers.

"Sounds great," he tells her as he starts to place kisses along her neck.

Humming in response, Andy tilts her neck to the side and begins to slowly trace her fingers down his back. "So… about setting the date…" she begins, several seconds later.

"Yeah? What about it?" He asks, immediately pulling back to meet her eyes.

"You really want to?" She questions. "You want to start planning a wedding and everything?"

"Yeah," he confirms with a silly smile. "Did you think I'd just wanna stay engaged forever?" He wonders.

"I don't know," she chuckles. "What is it they say? …you won't want to buy the cow when you're getting the milk for free?" She comments. "I mean… I _have_ kindda been giving the milk away for free for a _while_ ," she jokes.

"Hm… that's true," he laughs as his fingers slip under her camisole. "But still… I'm kind of done not being married to you," he decides.

"Oh yeah?" She asks.

"Yeah," he confirms, nodding his head, before placing a few light kisses on her lips.

"So, when should we do it?" She wonders.

"Well… how long does it usually take to plan these things?" He questions.

"Like… about a year," she replies with a shrug.

"A year?!" He asks, with eyes widening. "I can't wait that long," he tells her.

Grinning, she giggles in response as she runs her fingers through his hair. "What if we got married in May?" She suggests. "That's only eight months from now… hopefully we can pull off a wedding in that amount of time."

"I guess," he responds. "Still longer than I'd like, though," he tells her.

"I know," she agrees. "But we can't just whip up a wedding in a few months… not unless we both take a leave of absence," she jokes. "And everybody would kill us if we eloped," she points out.

"True," he concedes. "May it is then," he tells her with a smile.

"Wow," she sighs, happily. "We're really getting married," she grins.

"We're really getting married," he confirms, his smile widening, before he pulls her in for a kiss.

====================REWRITTEN====================

"So, where do you want to get married?" She questions as she's making a pot of coffee the next morning.

"I don't know," he shrugs. "I assume you've already got a list going in your head," he teases as he wraps his arms around her, rests his chin on her shoulder and quickly places a few kisses on her neck.

"It's possible I may have a few places in mind," she grins as she turns in his grasp and slides her arms around his neck.

"Which is your favorite?" He questions while pushing her hair out of her face.

"Well… have you ever been to the Greenpoint Loft?" She asks as she draws random shapes on his t-shirt with her finger. "It's really nice… it's got this kind of industrial feel with lots of exposed beams and brick… but then it's got this beautiful lighting… it's really cool… and it would totally be within our budget," she tells him, trying her best to convince him.

"Sounds perfect," he replies, unable to hold back the smile when he sees how excited she's getting.

"Yeah?" She asks.

"Yeah, let's book it," he decides.

"Really?" She asks.

"Yeah, I mean… if they have something available, then we should do it," he promises.

"Okay," she says, happily, before pulling him in for a quick kiss. "That was easy," she comments, as she pulls away.

"Did you think it would be hard?" He wonders. "I trust you… if you like it, I'm sure I will, too," he tells her.

Smiling, she stands on her toes and leans in for another kiss. "Maybe we can stop by there after shift, so you can see it?" She suggests.

"Sure," he agrees.

"And then we're gonna have to start shopping for a caterer, pick the cake, figure out the guest list… oh! Do we want a band or a DJ?" She inquires.

"Whichever you want," he shrugs.

"Whichever _I_ want?" She asks, incredulously.

"Yeah," he shrugs. "I just want you to be happy," he tells her as his hands slide down her sides.

And while part of her wants to completely swoon at how ridiculously sweet her future husband is, another part of her just wants to roll her eyes at him. "Sam! It can't _just_ be about me… I want _you_ to be happy, too," she implores.

"Hey," he begins. "As long as you're walking down the aisle, I'm happy," he promises.

And yeah, now she's definitely swooning.

====================REWRITTEN====================

He's collapsed on the couch, watching the hockey game with a beer in his hand when he hears her walk in. "Hey," he calls out as soon as the door shuts behind her.

"Hey," she replies as she walks into the room, practically jumping out of her skin with excitement as she dances over to him.

"You look happy," he observes with a smile on his face. He can't help it. It's just automatic that when she's happy, he's happy.

"I am," she replies as she jumps onto his lap. He places his beer down on the side table as she straddles his legs and wraps her arms around his neck. She leans in to give him a kiss and when she pulls back, he can't help but mirror the grin she's got on her face.

"Good day?" He asks as his fingers graze her sides.

"Really good," she nods. "I bought my wedding dress today," she confesses.

"Oh yeah?" He asks as images of her in a beautiful white dress flood his mind and he can't help but smile even wider at the thought.

"Yeah. It's perfect," she tells him. "I just hope you like it," she adds.

"I like you in everything," he reminds her.

"That's true," she agrees as the grin on her face grows while she leans in for another quick kiss. "I can't believe we're actually getting married," she muses, when they pull away.

"Can't wait," he adds with a big smile.

"Me either," she agrees.

====================REWRITTEN====================

Well, hope you liked this. The next chapter is completely finished and just needs to be proofread, so you shouldn't have to wait two weeks for a post like you did last time. I'm also putting the finishing touches on the next chapter of Collection of Thoughts… hopefully I can post that soon.

ALSO, I've got a new story idea percolating…

It's in the same sort of realm as Pretend, but it'll obviously be different. I don't even have the first chapter completely written, so don't expect to see anything too soon since I like to have several chapters written before I post anything, but I just thought I'd let you guys know!

As always, I love to hear what you guys think! Don't skimp out on the reviews!

And I hope everyone is having a better summer than I am lol.


	42. Plans

So… I know this chapter is definitely on the shorter side, but I still think it's a good one. The next chapter will be _much_ longer (& also a good one )

Hope you enjoy!

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Wow… Trace, congratulations," Andy says, a smile quickly appearing on her face as she happily embraces her best friend.

"Thanks," Traci responds as they share a hug. "I still can't believe it," she comments as they pull away from each other. "Ever since Leo, I've always been so careful with my birth control… I don't even know how it happened," she muses.

"So, you guys weren't trying?" Andy inquires.

"No… I mean, we were still in the 'maybe-sorta-talking about it' stage," she chuckles.

"How did Jerry react when you told him?" Andy questions.

"Honestly…I think he's still kind of freaked out," she admits.

"Well, I'm sure he'll come around… he probably just needs time to process," she assures her.

"Yeah, I mean… he's definitely anxious about it, but there are also these moments when he gets kind of exited… a couple nights ago, he was thinking of baby names and everything," she smiles.

"That's adorable," Andy comments.

"Yeah, I know," Traci agrees, practically glowing.

"I'm really happy for you, Trace," Andy tells her.

"Thanks," she replies. "I just hope I still remember how to take care of a baby," she jokes. "It's been so long… I'm worried I've forgotten everything."

"Well… maybe it's like riding a bike?" Andy suggests.

"Yeah, I don't know about that," Traci laughs. "But you know… if you and Sam wanted to start trying, we could totally be 'bump buddies' or whatever they call it," she laughs. "And I mean… how cute would it be if our kids grew up together?" She teases.

"Yeah, I don't know how Sam will feel about that," Andy chuckles, playfully rolling her eyes.

"Oh come on, that man _totally_ wants to have babies with you," Traci declares, earning another laugh from her best friend. "Haven't you two talked about kids?" She probes.

"Uh… not since that scare we had… but that was almost a year before we even got engaged," Andy muses. "Either way, I'd kind of like to marry him before I let him knock me up," Andy quips.

"Well… what about a honeymoon baby then?" Traci jokingly suggests.

"God, you are not giving up on this, are you?" Andy questions, amused by her persistence.

"Come on… you _have_ to admit… little McSwarek babies… they'd be _really_ cute," Traci grins. "Just imagine those tiny little dimples," she encourages, shamelessly.

Andy can't help but laugh at her friend as she slightly rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Of _course_ they'd be cute… but they'll also be cute in a couple years," she reasons.

"Alright fine," Traci huffs. "I'll just have to work on Swarek then… I bet _he'll_ see it my way," she adds.

"God, you are relentless," Andy chuckles.

"I'm serious… I'm gonna put all of my crazy pregnant energy into this," she declares, with a widening grin. "You're gonna give in eventually," she warns.

"We'll see," Andy responds, disbelievingly shaking her head.

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Wow," Sam says before taking a sip of his drink, while he and Jerry sit at the bar together, waiting for Oliver to come meet them.

"I know… can you believe it? I'm gonna be a Dad," Jerry declares, still in a state of shock.

"I didn't realize you guys were even trying to have kids," Sam mentions.

"We weren't," Jerry replies with a shake of his head. "Total surprise," he adds.

"Ah," Sam responds.

"Yeah," Jerry nods. "And to be honest… I'm kind of freaking out here, Sammy," he admits, before downing his third scotch of the night. "You better make sure McNally is taking her birth control pills or this could be you someday soon," he warns as he gestures to the bartender for another drink.

"Yeah, well… we don't have that problem," Sam explains.

"What? Not even married yet and you're _already_ not having sex?" Jerry teases.

And yeah, Sam's seriously rolling his eyes at that one. "I _meant_ she's on the IUD now, so we don't have to worry about birth control pills," Sam clarifies.

"Ah," Jerry responds.

"Yeah, but… even still… it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world," Sam muses, as his mind starts to wander.

A few little rugrats running around, mirror images of him and Andy… yeah, he wouldn't mind that at all.

"Of course it's not the _worst_ thing in the world," Jerry says as it's his turn to roll his eyes. "I'm just… I don't know if I'm ready for this," he confesses as he stares down into his empty glass. "I mean… I thought we'd have a little more time before we started having kids… we had only _just_ started considering the idea," he adds.

"It's gonna be fine," Sam assures him with a pat on the back. "You have Leo… and you love that kid like he's your own," Sam reminds him.

"I know," Jerry responds as he takes in Sam's words and tries to calm himself.

"And you'll love this baby just as much," Sam promises.

"I know I will," Jerry tells him.

"So, everything will work out… I mean, you remember how crazy Oliver was when he found out about Izzy," Sam reminisces. "And now, those girls are his entire life."

"Yeah," Jerry replies, nodding his head.

And just as it seems like Jerry has finally relaxed, he jerks his head up as his eyes become wide. "Shit, what if it's a _girl_?" He realizes. "I won't know what to do with a girl!" He exclaims. "I don't know how to braid hair or plays with dolls… and what about when she starts dating? And oh God… what if she gets pregnant?!" Jerry rambles, as he starts to get even more anxious than before.

"Whoa, calm down," Sam insists. "You're getting way ahead of yourself, brother," he continues, once again trying to reign in his best friend. "You and Nash will figure it out… and if Oliver can learn to braid hair and play with dolls, then I'm sure you can, too," he assures him.

"Yeah… yeah, you're right," Jerry says as he takes a few deep breaths and wills himself to believe Sam's words. "It's gonna be fine," he adds. "It's gonna be fine," he repeats.

"Yeah, it will," Sam comments as he pats Jerry on the back. "You and Nash are gonna be great parents," he assures him.

"Thanks, brother," Jerry responds with a smile.

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Hey," Andy greets Sam as he walks through the bedroom door to find her already in her pajamas and reading in their bed.

"Hey," he replies as he climbs onto the mattress to get a kiss out of her.

"How was your night?" She questions.

"It was good… spent most of it listening to a slightly buzzed Oliver giving parenting advice to a _very_ drunk Jerry… and well, for the sake of his kid, I'm hoping he doesn't remember much of it in the morning," he laughs.

"How's Jerry doing?" She asks. "Trace says that he's a little anxious," she mentions.

"Yeah… you could say that," Sam vehemently agrees.

"Oh God, what did he say?" Andy wonders.

"He's worried they're gonna have a girl and he won't know how to braid her hair," Sam laughs as he lies beside her, propping his head up on an elbow. Quickly wrapping an arm around her stomach, he pulls her closer and lightly brushes her ribs with his fingers.

"Aw, that's actually kind of sweet," Andy muses as she snuggles into him.

"I told him that if Oliver could learn, I'm sure he could," Sam responds with a silly smile.

"And did that make him feel better?" Andy questions.

"Actually… yeah, I think so," Sam confirms.

"That's good," Andy responds.

"Mhm… so, how's Nash doing?" He wonders.

"I think she's nervous, too… but also happy," she informs him before lifting her head to meet his eyes. "Oh, but just a warning… she's gonna try to convince you that we should start having babies like… tomorrow," she informs him, an amused smile playing on her lips.

"Oh?" He replies as he reaches out and maneuvers her so she's pressed right against him and her leg is draped over his. "Why would I need convincing?" He wonders as his hand caresses her thigh.

"Uhh… because we're not even married yet," she points out.

"Hmm… well, for the record… I'm ready whenever you are," he says, meeting her eyes with a smile.

Leaning in for a kiss, she can't help but return the sentiment. "Good to know," she replies, happily. "But, I'd kind of like to be married for a bit first, you know? Enjoy us for a little while?" she suggests. "Before I have to share you with someone who's cuter than I am," she teases.

"I guess I can live with that," he grins.

"Okay good," Andy replies. "So just remember… when Traci starts asking you to imagine what our babies will look like and talking about their adorable little dimples, you're gonna have to stay strong, okay?" She explains.

"I'll try," he quips. "But I've gotta say, I'm already imagining it and I think we might be in trouble," he teases as his fingers slip under her t-shirt, so his palm can rest on her stomach.

" _Sam_ ," she laughs. "C'mon, I'm serious," she implores.

"Okay, okay," he concedes, still grinning. "I'll do my best," he promises.

"Thank you," she replies before grabbing his chin and pulling him in for a few more kisses.

====================REWRITTEN====================

"You know, I was pretty annoyed with Traci when she volunteered us to babysit. But, I have to say… she definitely knew was she was doing," Andy muses as she watches Olivia giggle incessantly while bouncing on Sam's knees.

"Hm?" Sam asks, quickly glancing over at Andy before returning his attention to the little girl on his lap.

"Seeing the two of you together… my ovaries are seriously telling me something," she quips, a warm smile spreading across her face.

"Oh? And what would that be?" Sam asks, momentarily turning his grin on her.

"That I need to have your babies like… as soon as possible," she playfully retorts.

"Hmm… well, you know… if we need to, we could always move up this little peanut's bedtime," he offers.

"I don't know… I don't think she's quite done with her Uncle Sammy yet," Andy suggests as she runs her hand down Olivia's back.

"Yeah, you might be right," he decides as he smiles at the silly toddler, who is now climbing up his chest and grabbing at his neck.

"She seriously adores you," Andy swoons as she watches Olivia smile and laugh as Sam starts to gently tickle her ribs.

With a widening smile, Sam continues to play with the baby as Andy watches on.

"God, I can't wait to see you with our kids someday," Andy muses as she runs her fingers through Sam's hair. "You're gonna be such a great dad," she tells him.

"You think so?" He questions, briefly turning his gaze on her.

"Of _course_ I do," she responds, a little surprised by the speck of doubt she sees in his eyes. "I mean, Sam… Noelle only dropped her off an hour ago and she's already completely obsessed with you," Andy points out, gesturing towards the little girl who is now crawling all over him. "And I know our kids are gonna be the same way," she says, eliciting another smile from the man sitting beside her. "They aren't even born yet and I'm already feeling a little jealous," she jokes.

"Hey, you're gonna be an unbelievable mom," Sam assures her. "And our kids are going to absolutely love you," he adds.

Smiling, she leans in for a quick kiss before he has to return his focus to the little girl wiggling in his arms.

"So… maybe we don't have to wait _that_ long to start trying," she offers.

"Oh yeah?" He asks, doing his best to bite back a grin.

"Yeah," she shrugs. "I mean, I'd still like to have a little time for just us, but… I also really can't wait to have babies with you," she explains.

"Me either," he confesses before sneaking another kiss.

"So… maybe we take like… six months to a year where we just enjoy being married and _then_ we start trying?" She proposes.

"Works for me," Sam eagerly agrees.

"Okay, but… we can _never_ admit to Traci that her plan worked, okay?" Andy declares.

"Okay," he agrees as a chuckle leaves his lips.

While the two of them take a moment to just smile at each other, Olivia begins to babble, causing them both to laugh.

"I think someone wants your undivided attention," Andy observes with an adoring smile.

"Is that right?" Sam asks Olivia as he starts to bounce her on his knees again. Immediately, the little girl starts to giggle as a big grin spreads across her face.

And yeah, Andy can't help but beam at the two of them. The way Sam is looking at her and the way she's looking at Sam. It's honestly becoming unbearable.

"Okay, this is getting to be _way_ too much," Andy declares.

"What is?" Sam asks, briefly glancing at her.

" _This,"_ she says, gesturing between him and Olivia. "The two of you are so freaking cute together… you need to stop it!" she jokingly exclaims.

"Or what?" He wonders with a grin.

"Or I'm probably going to jump you the second she goes to bed," Andy tells him.

"Wow, that's some threat," he says with a laugh.

"Seriously, I'm not sure how much longer I can control myself," she confesses.

"Hmm… I think we're gonna have to start babysitting you more often," he tells Olivia with a smile.

"Oh God," Andy playfully groans as Sam responds with a chuckle. "You know, I think it's time for her bottle," Andy decides, seconds later. "I'm gonna go make it," she says, getting up off the couch.

"Need to cool off a little?" Sam teases.

"Shut up," Andy retorts, although she can't quite hold back the smile.

Letting out a laugh, Sam reaches out to grab her hand. "Hey," he says as he pulls her back towards him. "I love you," he tells her as he leans in for a kiss.

"Love you, too," she murmurs against his lips. "But seriously, you've gotta try to tame this down," she pleads, pointing between him and the little girl who is now sitting in his lap, happily clapping her hands.

"Pretty sure I couldn't even if I wanted to," he playfully retorts.

"Oh you're gonna be in so much trouble tonight," she threatens, shooting him a teasing glare, as she heads towards the kitchen.

"Yep, I'm definitely foreseeing an early bedtime," he tells Olivia.

====================REWRITTEN====================

Whenever I write chapters like this, I always get depressed that we didn't get to see anything like it on the show lol. Watching Sam dote on his kids would've absolutely made my day.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this. Like I said, I know it's shorter, but the next chapter is almost twice as long.

Don't forget to review!


	43. Almost

I kind of like this chapter

====================REWRITTEN====================

The moment she got the call, her heart stopped… and everything else stopped with it.

She was completely frozen- her body, her mind, _everything_. It was like her brain couldn't even process what she just heard… or more likely, it just didn't want to.

As the news began to sink in, her throat became dry and her stomach twisted in knots as tears slid down her cheeks. But still- she just couldn't move.

She has a faint memory of Dov pulling her into a squad car and racing off to the hospital, but it's all a big foggy. In fact, she remembers almost nothing about the ride over here. She's pretty sure that she was still in shock.

All she knows is that her mind was racing with thoughts of Sam.

What if she never sees him again? What if she never kisses him again? What if she never feels his arms wrapped around her? What if she never sees his smile or hears his laugh?

What if he doesn't make it?

All of their plans… their future…

Seriously, what if he doesn't make it?

By the time she got to the hospital, her face was stained with thousands of tears and she probably looked like a disaster, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

When Traci found her, she was essentially inconsolable. That's why her best friend simply threw her arms around her and pulled her into a hug. And then Andy spent the next ten minutes sobbing on her shoulder.

She was moments away from hyperventilating when the doctor came out and told her that Sam was going into surgery.

She only cried harder after that.

And now, two hours later, she's sitting in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs and her tear ducts have all but run dry.

All she wants is for him to be okay. She honestly can't fathom her life without him. It's completely inconceivable to her.

They're supposed to get married. They're supposed to have kids and grandkids and great grandkids. They're supposed to grow old together.

And the idea of that not happening is outright unimaginable.

She just _needs_ him. She needs him more than she's ever needed anyone. And if he doesn't make it, she won't either. She's absolutely sure of that.

Eventually, she spots his doctor walking down the hallway and it's the longest twenty seconds of her life. She's desperately trying to read his expression, but he has a pretty good poker face and she just has no idea what he's about to tell her.

As Traci reaches for her hand and squeezes it, Andy attempts to calm herself by taking several deep breaths, while she impatiently waits to hear the doctor's news. While part of her really wants to run to him and demand to know what's going on with Sam, another part of her wants to run away and live in limbo for just a little longer. Because as painful as it is not to know, it's infinitely better than receiving the most devastating news of her life.

Ultimately, she wills herself to stay put and she silently prays that everything will be okay as the doctor takes the last few steps towards her.

Finally, he's standing in front of her and she takes another deep breath, preparing herself for his words. Then, she shoves her shaking hands into her pockets and listens to the doctor speak.

There are quite a few words she doesn't understand, but once the doctor tells her that Sam is in recovery and she can go back and see him, she immediately releases the breath she's been holding. Afterwards, she feels at least one hundred pounds lighter. She's not sure she's ever felt this relieved and all she wants to do is go see Sam right this second.

So, she follows the doctor down a corridor and then walks through the threshold into Sam's room. But the moment she sees him, she can't help but cringe. He looks much paler than he did this morning and he's surrounded by all of this noisy equipment that's just beeping away. It all makes her uneasy, but she's trying to remain positive.

He's okay and that's all that matters.

Once the doctor leaves them alone, Andy can't get to him fast enough. She quickly grabs his hand and squeezes it as her eyes rake over his body, taking inventory of every single inch.

She just can't believe how close she was to losing him today. As some stray tears fall down her face, she tries to physically shake away all of those thoughts.

After wiping away her tears, she pulls a chair right up beside his bed and sits there, holding his hand, for about ten minutes before his eyes starts to flutter.

"Hey," she says softly, as he blinks a few times.

His lips curve up into a small smile at the sound of her voice before he slowly glances over at her. "Hey," he says, his voice a bit dry and scratchy.

"How are you feeling? Are you in pain?" She questions as she reaches for a glass of water on his nightstand and helps him take a sip.

"I'm okay," he assures her after lubricating his throat.

"Are you sure? Should I call the doctor?" She asks, unable to hide her worry.

"I'm okay," he promises. "Just… come here," he requests as he gestures for her to come closer.

She immediately does as he asks and goes to sit on the side of his bed, careful not to get too close. The last thing she wants to do is hurt him.

He immediately senses her concern and wraps his hand around her thigh, gently squeezing it in an effort to comfort her while using his other hand to interlock their fingers. But instead of providing the comfort he intended, the gesture only causes several tears to slide down her cheeks.

"Andy… don't cry," he says, softly, as he brushes the tears off her face.

"Sam, you really scared me," she acknowledges, unable to stop the tears from falling. She's not even trying to keep her emotions in check right now. She's still so freaked out from earlier, she knows it would be a lost cause.

"Hey… I'm gonna be fine… don't worry," he tells her as he attempts to squeeze her hand.

"You can't do that to me… I thought… I thought I was gonna have to spend the rest of my life without you," she says in between a few sniffles.

"Hey… I'm right here," he tells her as he lifts her hand to his lips.

"You could've died!" She cries.

"Shh… I'm not going anywhere," he promises as he pulls her close.

"You better not," she murmurs into his shoulder.

"I won't," he assures her.

"Seriously, I'd never forgive you," she adds.

A smile plays on his lips as he runs his fingers through her hair and kisses the top of her head. "You're stuck with me," he declares.

"Promise?" she questions, lifting her chin to meet his eyes.

"Promise… you're not getting rid of me that easily," he assures her.

"Good," she comments before resting her head back on his shoulder.

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Ugh, when are they gonna let me out of here? I'm going crazy!" Sam complains several days later.

"Sam, you're recovering from a gunshot wound! You've gotta wait until you're healed," she reminds him.

"I'm _fine_ … I just want to go home," he tells her.

"I know," she empathizes as she runs her fingers through his hair. "I'm sure it'll be soon," she adds.

"Not soon enough," he replies.

"What can I do?" She asks, as she takes a seat beside him.

"Break me out of here?" He requests.

"Okay… besides that," she tells him with a laugh.

"Well…" he begins, seemingly thinking it over for a moment. But then, a smile suddenly appears on his lips and she instantly knows she's in trouble. "I guess there's _one_ other thing you could do…" he says, suggestively, as he slips his hands under her shirt and allows his fingers to graze her sides.

"Sam!" She gasps. "We're in a hospital! And you're still healing!" She adds, incredulously.

"You'll just have to be gentle," he quips.

"We are _not_ having sex in a hospital," she declares, sternly.

"I thought you wanted to cheer me up," he reminds her, pretending to pout a bit.

"You _know_ I do, but we _can't_ ," she tells him. "You're not supposed to exert yourself," she reminds him.

"Well, then I guess you can be on top," he grins.

"Oh how kind of you," she retorts with a roll of her eyes.

Letting out a laugh, he considers a counteroffer. "Okay, okay… how about you just… lie down with me?" he suggests. Except, the way he says it makes her think that they'd be doing a little bit more than just lying down.

"Someone could walk in," she points out.

As his smile widens, he desperately tries to bite back a laugh. Yeah, she's totally considering it. "The nurse was here ten minutes ago, so we have at least an hour or two before anyone comes back," he informs her. "Come on, I've _really_ missed you," he stresses.

She shakes her head at him and rolls her eyes, but the smile on her lips says that they're in business. "Fine," she eventually agrees.

Honestly, she knew she was going to give in almost immediately. Because the truth is, she's really missed him, too. "But I'm serious. _No_ sex," she maintains.

"Deal," he replies while he scoots over on the bed to make room for her.

"Or anything that requires the removal of clothing," she quickly adds.

"Okay, okay," he chuckles as she carefully gets onto the bed and lies beside him as he wraps his arm around her and pulls her close.

Lying on his good side, he cradles her face with his hand before leaning in to kiss her. She places her hand at the back of his neck and deepens the kiss as she melts into his arms. And as their tongues begin to mingle, Sam sneaks his hands under her shirt and immediately unhooks her bra.

"Sam!" She reprimands. Although with the way she's smiling and giggling, she doesn't seem too angry. "What did I just say?" She chastises.

"What?" He asks, innocently, while trying to keep the smirk off his lips.

"I mean it. No sex," she replies, sternly. "I don't need you tearing out your stitches and getting stuck in here for an extra week," she reasons.

"I know, I know," he assures her. "But still, I don't think you need this right now," he explains as he removes her bra and pulls it out from under her shirt. "And I promise, nothing else will come off," he declares.

"You are ridiculous," she laughs as she shakes her head at him. But still, she takes the bra from him and stuffs it in the drawer next to his bed, hiding it just in case someone does happen to walk in.

Sam grins, seemingly pleased with himself. He doesn't waste much time before he's kissing her again and slipping his hands under her shirt to cup her breasts.

God, he's really missed her breasts. They are perfect, seriously perfect.

Eventually, he pushes her onto her back and gets himself in between her legs. He knows he shouldn't be doing this and even though his stitches are absolutely killing him right now, he really couldn't care less. He hasn't touched her like this in almost a week and it's honestly all he wants to do.

He buries his face in her neck and starts kissing, sucking and licking up her throat. "Really missed you," he mutters against her skin.

"Really missed you, too," she whispers as she closes her eyes and enjoys the feeling of his lips moving up and down her neck.

While quickly turning his attention back to her lips, his hand travels up and down her thigh before settling on her ass and giving it a squeeze. And as they continue to kiss, they're both so lost in each other, they don't even hear the door open.

"Please tell me that's Andy under there," Sarah quips as she walks into Sam's room to find him on top of an unidentifiable woman.

Upon hearing his sister's voice, Sam pulls away, just barely, and turns his neck to glance at the door. "Of _course_ it's Andy," Sam retorts. "Who else would it be?"

"I don't know… some skanky nurse?" She suggests, seemingly amused by this whole thing.

"Funny," Sam says, more than a little annoyed. First, she interrupts the only real alone time he's had with his fiancée in days and then she insinuates that he would cheat on her with some nurse?

Yeah, he's not pleased.

"Well… just wanted to make sure," Sarah chuckles.

"Yeah well… like I said… of course it's Andy," he replies before slightly shifting his weight so Andy is suddenly in his sister's line of sight. As she and Sarah lock eyes, Andy gives her a mortified wave, her face already turning beet red from the sheer embarrassment of the situation.

"Well, I guess you must be feeling better then," Sarah teases, refocusing her attention on her brother.

"Yeah, I am… so, can you come back later?" He pleads, not even trying to be nice about it.

"Fine, fine… but maybe next time put a sock on the door or something," she smirks.

"You're just on a roll today," Sam deadpans as he rolls his eyes at her.

"Will it be safe if I come back in an hour?" She wonders, still not done giving them a hard time.

"Sure, whatever," Sam responds, just trying to get rid of her.

"Okay, okay, I'll go… bye guys," she grins before disappearing out the door.

"I cannot believe that just happened!" Andy cries, covering her face with her hands, completely humiliated. "I _told_ you someone was gonna walk in!"

"It's just Sarah," he dismisses as he pulls her hands away.

"Yeah well, I would've preferred a stranger walking in on us!" She claims as Sam refocuses his attention on kissing his way up her neck. "Sam! C'mon, get off me," she tells him.

"Don't wanna," he murmurs against her skin.

"Sam… I'm serious. We can't," she maintains.

"We're not even doing anything," he argues as he blows a warm breath in her ear.

"We're doing enough that it would be really embarrassing if someone walked in… or did the past sixty seconds already slip your mind?" She retorts while he continues to nip at her neck. "Sam, c'mon… stop," she tells him.

Frowning, he pulls back to meet her eyes. "Seriously?" He asks.

" _Yes_ ," she says, definitively. Although, her expression softens when the look on his face makes her feel a little guilty. "Sam… it's just not a good idea… you could get hurt," she reminds him while gently massaging his back.

"Kissing you is _not_ gonna kill me," he reasons. But then he decides to try a different angle after she responds by simply rolling her eyes. "C'mon… you have no idea how much I've missed you this past week," he tells her, as he tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.

"What do you mean? I've been here every day!" She argues.

"I know, but we haven't had more than ten minutes alone and… and I've barely touched you in days," he reminds her.

"Sam…" she begins. Although, with the way he's looking at her, she's kind of having a hard time standing her ground. It's not that she doesn't want to- of course she does. She's missed him just as much as he's missed her, but she knows they shouldn't.

"Look at you… I can see you're in pain… just doing this for a couple minutes is hurting you… c'mon, you gotta get off of me," she insists.

"Ugh… fine," he groans as he gets off of her and lies on his back, obviously frustrated.

"Hey, don't be upset," she pleads as she rolls on her side and lightly runs her hand down his chest.

He glances over at her and places his hand on top of hers. "I'm not upset with _you_ ," he assures her. "I'm just really ready to go home… I'm practically crawling out of my skin here," he explains.

"I know you are," she sympathizes.

"And I really do miss you," he adds while his fingers graze her back.

"I miss you, too," she agrees. "But you'll be getting out of here soon and, when you do, I'll take some time off, okay?" She proposes.

"Oh yeah?" He replies.

"Yeah," she confirms. "I mean… s _omebody's_ gotta nurse you back to health, right?" She smiles, seductively.

"Oh definitely," he agrees.

"Yeah, and then we'll be spending so much time together, you'll probably get sick of me," she jokes.

"Mm… I doubt that," he remarks, while pushing her hair away from her face.

"Well, the point is… we'll have tons of alone time," she tells him.

"Can't wait," he says with a smile as he pulls her in for a kiss.

"Me either," she murmurs against his lips.

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Lots of drama over at the nurses' station today," Andy quips as she walks into his room the next morning.

"Oh yeah? What's going on?" He wonders.

"Well… they all _really_ wanna be assigned to this one patient and they're all trying to bribe the nurse who is… they're pulling out all of the stops, too… offering to cover shifts, paying for a week's worth of coffee, free lunches… one nurse even offered Blue Jays tickets… it's _quite_ the scene out there," she continues as she sits down on the side of his bed and offers him one of the coffees in her hand.

Sam hmms in response as he takes the Styrofoam cup from her and brings it to his lips.

"Aren't you gonna ask me who the patient is?" She questions.

Lifting his head, his eyes connect with hers. And from the look on her face… he knows.

"You're joking," he accuses with narrow eyes.

"Nope… seems like they all _really_ want to give you a sponge bath," she quips.

He's still not sure if she's kidding, but he'll play along. "I'm perfectly capable of bathing myself," he informs her. "Unless you're offering?" he adds, suggestively.

"Ha ha," she says with a roll of her eyes. "But still, I'm starting to think Sarah might've had the right idea about those nurses," she muses, lightheartedly. "I mean, should I be concerned?" She wonders with a playful smile. "Don't all guys have a sexy nurse fantasy?" She teases.

He frowns, not sure if she's truly just giving him a hard time or if she's being even a little bit serious. "No," he promises with a shake of his head. " _You_ are the only person _I_ fantasize about," he confesses.

"Oh yeah?" She asks, raising an eyebrow, and stepping closer to his bed.

"Yeah," he confirms.

"Do tell," She implores, sitting down on the bed beside him. He scoots over to give her more room and she sits crossed-legged right next to him.

"What do you wanna know?" He asks with a quirked eyebrow and a small smile playing on his lips.

"What _specifically_ do you fantasize about?" She wonders.

"Just… everything I wish I could do to you right now," he tells her, suggestively. "And you have _no_ idea how must restraint it takes not to do any of it," he adds with his smoldering eyes locked on hers.

"Hmm…" she responds, smiling back at him. "That reminds me, I brought you some presents," she says, gesturing towards the backpack she threw on the chair when she came in.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep," she replies as she gets up and begins to dig through her backpack until she finds the gift wrapped in gold paper and then passes it to him. He suspiciously tears the wrapping paper off while stealing glances at her smiling face.

"Hurry up," she whines.

He lets out a laugh as he tears off the remaining paper. And when he takes a look at what's inside, he's a bit speechless. She starts to giggle at his reaction, while he looks up at her for an explanation.

"What you don't like it?" She laughs.

"You got me… porn?" He asks, rather confused.

"Well… I thought after yesterday, you might like it," she chuckles. "Plus, I seem to remember that, when Oliver got shot, you told Zoe that the cure for a gunshot wound is poker and porn," she reminds him.

"Maybe for some guys," he shrugs.

"Not you?" She wonders.

"Not really," he admits. "Your presence is all I need," he confesses with a dimpled smile.

"Really? That's it?" She asks, incredulously.

"Yep," he nods as he grabs her hand and pulls her towards him.

"Well… I guess I can hang around if it means a speedy recovery," she offers after climbing back on the bed and settling in his arms.

"Perfect," he says, pulling her close. "I mean, I wouldn't say no to some pictures," he mentions, a moment later.

Lifting her head, she shoots him a confused look.

"Of you," he clarifies with a grin.

"Oh… yeah, that's not happening," she informs him with a laugh.

"No? C'mon Andy, I was just _shot_ ," he reminds her with that teasing tone of his.

"No way! With my luck, Oliver would probably find them… or Frank… or your sister!" She squeals.

"Okay, okay, I see your point," he concedes with a chuckle.

"But I _guess_ I could give you something to think about later," she says, seductively.

"Oh yeah?" He asks, unable to keep the smile from his face.

She confirms with a nod of her head before she shoots a glance at the door to make sure it's all clear. Then, she starts to slowly unbutton her shirt while he watches intently. As she opens up her shirt and exposes the lacy bra that's underneath, he swallows hard.

"I really need to get out of here," he groans, as he once again is thinking about every single thing he'd love to do to her right now.

"I know," she sighs as she starts to button up her shirt. "It'll be soon, don't worry."

"Not soon enough."

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Home sweet home," she declares as she opens the front door for Sam, allowing him to walk inside.

"Finally," he exclaims, just happy to actually be out of the hospital.

Andy tosses her keys on the counter, puts Sam's duffle bag on the kitchen table and turns back to face him. Quickly looking him over, she makes sure he's still doing okay after the walk from the car.

"Alright well… how are you feeling?" She asks. "Are you in any pain? I can run out to the pharmacy and pick up your prescription," she offers.

"No, I'm fine," he promises, taking a few steps closer until he's standing inches from her.

"Okay… are you hungry? Tired?" She questions. "Do you want to relax on the couch and watch some TV while I make you some lunch?" She offers.

"No, I actually have somewhere I need to be," he informs her, trying to bite back a smile, as his fingers graze her sides.

"Oh yeah? Where's that?" She asks, amused.

"In bed. Right now. With you," he replies.

Rolling her eyes, she does her best to fight the smile that's threatening to appear. "Sam, you _just_ got out of the hospital… you're supposed to take it easy," she reminds him.

"I'll take it easy tomorrow," he dismisses.

"Sam, c'mon. I really don't want to have to drive you back there an hour after you were discharged," she tells him.

"I'll be fine," he assures her. "I have my own private nurse, remember?" He smirks, as he starts to unbutton her shirt.

"Yeah well, your nurse is telling you to lie down on the couch and relax while she makes you something to eat," Andy retorts while placing her hands on top of his, stopping him from completely unbuttoning her top.

He spends the next several seconds eyeing her, trying to figure out if she's going to stand her ground on this one. Ultimately, he decides that she's not giving in anytime soon. And well, that sucks.

"You know, all of this rejection really isn't good for my ego," he tells her as he releases the fabric of her shirt.

"Somehow I think your ego will survive," she quips while throwing her arms around his neck.

"I don't know…" he remarks as his hands land on her waist.

"Sam," she sighs. "You know I'd love to drag you upstairs right now and let you do all kinds of inappropriate things to me," she smirks. "But, the thing is, I've kindda made all of these plans to spend the rest of my life with you, so… if I have to keep my hands to myself for a couple days to make sure that happens, I'm gonna do it," she tells him.

With a smile on his lips, he leans in for a kiss as he pulls her closer. "Alright," he agrees. "But I mean it… in two days, you are _mine_ ," he informs her as his smile quickly becomes a playful smirk.

Chuckling, she nods her head in agreement. "Deal."

====================REWRITTEN====================

So… that sponge bath/porn idea was inspired by another story I read a while back. I searched through my favorites for it for like twenty minutes, but I couldn't figure it out. I need to start writing this shit down.

Anyway, hope you guys liked this chapter. Don't forget to leave lots of reviews! Also, thanks to everybody who reviewed the most recent chapter of Collection of Thoughts (Drinks). It was some of the best feedback I've ever received, so thanks!


	44. Nerves

So…. it's been quite a while, I know.

Like I said, this trial is taking up my entire summer. I've been working the most insane hours… sometimes staying at the office until eleven o'clock and working way too many weekends. And we thought the last day of trial was going to be yesterday, but we're still not even close to done. So, now we have more trial dates in October. Bleh.

Anyway, here's the next chapter!

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Ugh!" Traci groans as she desperately tries to close her uncooperative locker.

"Whoa, you okay, Trace?" Andy asks as she walks into the locker room to find her best friend repeatedly slamming her locker door shut only to have it bounce right back at her.

"I'm just having a shitty morning and now this thing won't close and it's just… ughhh," she groans again.

"Okay, okay… let me help," Andy says as she swings the locker door open and maneuvers some stuff out of the way. Once everything is cleared away from the door, she is finally able to close it and turns back towards Traci, who is clearly still frustrated. "Is this really just about the locker?" Andy asks, already assuming that it's about much more than that.

"No," Traci admits with a sigh. "Jerry and I were fighting all last night and then we started up again in the morning… he's just driving me crazy!" she exclaims.

"Well, what were you fighting about this time?" She wonders. She's not sure if it's just Traci's hormones or if Jerry is just stressed about this case he's been unable to solve, but the two of them have been fighting a _lot_ lately.

"Pretty much everything," Traci quips as she leans back against the lockers and briefly shuts her eyes. "First, he was _hours_ late coming home, so we fought about that because he's just been working _so_ much lately… and then he was all pissy because I had the day off, but I didn't take his suits to the dry cleaners or throw his clothes in the washing machine or go grocery shopping," she explains. "But I mean, c'mon… I'm growing a human being in here! I'm tired!" She declares with a hand on her stomach. "And then I was having a serious craving for strawberry ice cream and I was gonna go out and grab a cone, but then he starts lecturing me that we have to save money and I should just eat the black raspberry ice cream we had in the freezer," she adds. "And like I said, I'm _carrying_ his child… I should be able to splurge on an ice cream cone without getting a lecture… and black raspberry tastes _nothing_ like strawberry!" she rants. "And then… well… yesterday morning, he was wanting sex and I was just… not feeling it, so I promised him we'd do it this morning," she explains. "And so, when we woke up and I wasn't in the mood… I mean, he was trying to hide it, but he was obviously frustrated because I've kindda been putting it off for like… the last three weeks," she admits.

And well, Andy does her best not to react to that. She and Sam have _never_ even gone more than five or six days without having sex, so she can't even imagine going three weeks without it.

"And you know, we _never_ used to fight," Traci comments. "But now… it feel like it's all we do," she sighs.

"I'm sure you guys will figure it out… you're both pretty stressed," Andy assures her. "You just need to talk about it," she suggests.

"I don't know… it's like, once you get married, everything is different… you've gotta worry about money and splitting the chores and keeping your sex life alive and you've gotta figure out where you're spending the holidays and how to set boundaries with your in-laws and how the hell you're gonna get some alone time without offending your husband… it's just… a lot," she sighs. "And then you add the pressure of our jobs and the pregnancy hormones and the stress of having another kid with the fact that you're so unbelievably exhausted all the time and having sex is the absolute last thing you want to do… it only makes everything more difficult," she reasons. "And don't even get me started about when the baby comes…" she continues.

"Whoa, Trace… you're kind of spiraling here," Andy warns, unsure how to get her best friend back on track. She's never seen Traci like this before and she's kind of at a loss for how to help.

Letting out a sigh, Traci knocks her head back against the lockers and shuts her eyes. "I know," she says, clearly getting emotional. "It's just… sometimes I wish we could go back to the days where we were just dating, you know?" she says as she meets Andy's eyes. "Everything was so much simpler back then… we barely ever fought and all we ever wanted was to just spend time together… I miss that," she adds. "I mean, now… lately, I've been feeling like Jerry is purposefully working late so he can avoid me," she remarks.

"I'm sure that's not true… Jerry loves you… and he's just stressed out about that case he's working on," Andy reminds her.

"I know, I know… I'm probably just being hormonal… it's just… marriage is _hard_ ," she whines.

"This is just a phase you guys are going through… it'll get better. You just have to sit him down and talk through all of it," she advises.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Traci says, nodding her head. "I'll talk to him tonight," she promises.

"Okay good… now, we've got parade in like three seconds," Andy says as she glances at her watch.

"Lead the way," Traci sighs before following her best friend out of the locker room.

====================REWRITTEN====================

Honestly, her conversation with Traci scares her far more than she'd like to admit.

In fact, she basically spends the rest of the day in a funk as her mind just goes in circles, thinking about her best friend's words. She really tries not to dwell on it, but yeah… she's not exactly successful.

Was that a sneak peek into her future with Sam? Will that be them someday? Will there be days or weeks or months where they do nothing but fight?

Is Traci right? Will things change once they get married?

Truthfully, not much scares her more than that.

After seeing the way her parents' marriage crumbled, she's always been terrified of something similar happening to her. And the idea of her marriage falling apart… it makes her absolutely sick to her stomach.

As strong as she believes her relationship with Sam is, sometimes she worries that she's just being naïve. After all, don't most newlyweds feel that their marriages will last forever? And yet… many of them don't.

It's just something that's been on her mind as of late, especially considering Jerry and Traci's constant fighting. She's always felt that those two are a great couple, who truly belong together, but if they are having trouble… well, maybe that means that she and Sam could, too.

Maybe everything will be different after they get married. Or maybe five or ten years down the line, things will change between them. Maybe they won't always love each other the way they do now.

Maybe they'll end up like her parents, or his parents, or Oliver and Zoe, or Jerry and his first wife, or Frank and his first wife, or Frank and his second wife… or any number of other cops whose relationships have fallen apart…

And God, that is the absolute last thing she would ever want.

So yeah, she has some difficulty focusing for the remainder of her shift and beyond.

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Only a few more months until we get married," Andy muses as she and Sam lie in bed together that night.

Her mind has been spinning ever since she found him waiting for her outside the women's locker room after shift. She's spent the past four hours trying to come up with some way to bring up how she's feeling, but she's just not sure how. She doesn't want to upset him, but… she also needs to get this out.

Really, all she wants is for him to put her mind at ease.

"I know," Sam happily responds with a smile as he starts to play with Andy's engagement ring.

"So uh… how are you feeling about that?" Andy wonders as she turns on her side to face him.

"What do you mean?" He asks, glancing over at her.

"I mean… are you nervous?" She questions.

"About getting married?" He clarifies. "Should I be?" He wonders as he furrows his eyebrows, unsure why she'd be asking such a question.

"I don't know," she shrugs. "I mean… I think it'd be pretty normal if you were," she explains.

"Okay… well, you're making me pretty nervous right now," he admits while sitting up and preparing himself for whatever Andy is about to tell him. He's known her long enough to know that this conversation is not about _his_ nerves. "What is this about?" He asks.

Following his lead, Andy sits up to face him, while nibbling on her bottom lip and debating how to articulate exactly what she's feeling.

"Are you… are _you_ nervous?" He questions, beginning to get a bit anxious. "Are you having second thoughts?" Sam asks. And as soon as the words leave his lips, he's holding his breath, waiting for her response.

"No… not exactly," she replies, uneasily, as she briefly averts her eyes.

"Not _exactly_?" Sam remarks with a completely horrified expression plastered on his face. "What does _that_ mean?" He asks, getting more anxious with each passing moment.

Letting out another sigh, Andy finally meets his eyes and immediately feels guilty for the fear she sees in them. "Sam, I _love_ you… and _all_ I want is to be with you, okay?" she assures him. "I _mean_ that," she implores.

"But…?" Sam says, knowing that's exactly where this conversation is going.

"But I'm… I'm just… afraid," she admits.

"Afraid of what?" He questions.

"That marriage will change things between us," she explains. "That we'll start fighting all the time and we'll grow to resent each other… we'll stop wanting to spend time together and start spending it apart… you'll start working longer hours just to avoid me… _that's_ what I'm afraid of," she remarks.

"Andy, that's not gonna happen," he promises as he interlocks their fingers and gives her hand a gentle squeeze.

"You don't know that," she challenges. "Marriage changes things," she asserts.

"Why would it change anything?" He questions. "We've been together for five years… we know each other, we love each other… we already live together… why would anything change?" He asks again.

"I don't know… it just _does_ … that's the way it works," she tells him. "You start sharing finances and then you fight about money all the time… you start having kids… and then you fight about how to parent your kid and who changes more diapers or gives more baths, and then you stop having sex... that's what happens when you get married," she continues as she starts to get even more worked up.

"So… what? Now you don't want to have _kids_?" Sam asks, utterly shocked by the turn this night has taken.

"I… I don't know," she sighs. "Sam, I'm just… I'm scared," she says again.

"Andy, where is all this coming from?" He asks, desperately trying to understand what's happening here. This is all so out of the blue. In the five months since he slipped that ring on her finger, he hasn't had even an inkling that she was having doubts about getting married. And now? Now it's all pouring out at once and it's seriously worrying him.

"I… well… you know, Traci and Jerry have been fighting a lot lately," she mentions.

"Yeah, I know," Sam replies, utterly confused by her response. "What does that have to do with us?" He wonders.

"It… it doesn't," she admits. "It's just… well, Traci and I were talking today and she started going on and on about how everything changes once you get married and… it just really freaked me out," she confesses.

"Andy…" he begins as he runs his hand down her thigh in an effort to comfort her. "That doesn't mean anything," he argues. "I mean, Nash didn't move into Jerry's place _until_ they got married, so of course things would be different for them," Sam reasons. "You can't compare our relationship to theirs… just because they experience something a certain way, it doesn't mean that we will," he tells her.

"I know," she agrees. "But it still scares me," she adds. "It's just that… things between us are _so_ good right now… they're perfect… absolutely perfect… and the last thing I want is for any of that to change," she explains. "I mean, what if, one day, you don't look at me the way you look at me now?" She asks as she tips her chin to meet his eyes.

"I'll _always_ look at you like this," he promises as he frames her face with his hand.

A smile graces her lips at his words, but it's unfortunately short-lived as another thought forces its way into her mind.

"What if you fall out of love with me?" She questions.

"Andy, that's not gonna happen," he assures her.

"It could," she argues.

"It won't," he guarantees.

"How do you know?" She asks.

"Because," he says before letting out a breath and running his fingers down her arm. "We've spent just about every day together for the past five years and yet, I _still_ can't get enough of you," he begins as he tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "I still miss you when I'm not with you and I'd still rather hang out with you over anyone else… you make the worst days manageable and you make the good days that much better," he tells her. "I love you more than anything and that's _not_ going to change," he promises, pausing briefly to meet her eyes. "Look, it's not _always_ going to be perfect between us… sometimes we'll probably drive each other insane," he admits. "We'll have bad days, we might have a rough week or two every now and then… it'll happen… that's just the way it goes sometimes," he explains. "But we love each other enough to work through all of that… don't we?" He asks.

Nodding her head, a smile appears on her lips as she meets Sam's eyes. "Yeah… yeah, we do," she confirms.

"Good," he says with a smile. "So, when we inevitably fight about money, kids, sex, whatever else, we'll figure it out… just like we always do," he assures her.

"You're right," she agrees as she blows out a breath of relief while nodding her head. "I'm sorry I got so worked up," she apologizes. "I think I've been holding this in for a while and then… after that conversation with Traci… it all just exploded, you know?" She says.

"Why didn't you say something before?" He asks, surprised that she would keep something like this from him. And honestly, the idea that he didn't notice… it causes a tightening in his chest.

"I don't know," she sighs. "I mean… I _knew_ I was being ridiculous," she explains.

"Hey, if something is bothering you, I _want_ to know," he reminds her. "You're the one that always says we need to talk this stuff out," he points out.

"I know, I know… I should've told you… if I had, I wouldn't have spent all that time worrying about it," she reasons.

"What else were you worrying about?" He questions.

"Well…" she begins. "Do you ever worry that we're gonna end up like our parents?" She wonders.

"You mean… divorced?" He assumes.

"Yeah," she confirms.

"We're not even married yet and you're worried about getting divorced?" He asks, incredulously.

"Hey, I warned you that I was being crazy," she reminds him.

"Yeah, you did," he says with a nod of his head.

"But… is it _really_ that crazy?" She wonders. "I mean… do you _know_ the divorce rate for cops?" She questions. "Because I do and it's scary as hell," she remarks.

"Hey," he says as he reaches out and pulls her into his lap. "We are _not_ getting divorced," he assures her.

"I know," she says with a nod. "But… don't _most_ people say that before they get married?" She reasons. "And yet… it still happens," she points out. "Quite often, I might add."

"Not to us, though," he decides as his fingers trail down her spine. "It can't," he declares. "I just… I couldn't handle that," he admits.

"Me either," she tells him. "I honestly don't know what I would do if I lost you," she muses.

"Good, so we agree," he remarks. "We're spending the rest of our lives together," he adds.

"Yeah," she smiles. "We agree."

====================REWRITTEN====================

"Morning," she grins as she opens her eyes to find his staring back at her.

"Morning," he replies before letting her pull him in for a kiss. "Sleep well?" He asks.

"Mhm," she nods as she stretches a bit.

"You feeling better about everything?" He questions, trying not to sound as nervous as he feels. Truthfully, he was up half the night replaying their conversation.

"Much better," she nods, happily, before snuggling closer to him.

"Yeah? You sure?" He asks.

"I'm sure," she confirms as she pulls back to meet his eyes. But, almost immediately, she notices the hint of worry in them and realizes that their talk last night has caused some concern. "Sam, I just got in my head a little, that's all," she promises. "But I love you and… and I'm completely confident in us," she assures him. "I know you are the person I'm supposed to be with and I know that whatever happens, we can get through it," she adds with a smile as she runs her fingers through his hair. "Last night… I guess I just needed some reassurance, you know?" She questions.

"Yeah," he nods as he absent-mindedly plays with her hair.

"I mean… watching my parents' marriage fall apart has always made me a little uneasy about getting married… and then, that conversation with Traci… it definitely freaked me out," she acknowledges. "I just needed you to tell me that we're gonna be okay… and that we won't ever be one of those cliché cop couples… that's why I brought it up," she explains. "I mean… I guess I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still a _little_ bit scared, but… it's the normal amount of scared, I think," she assures him. "Not scared enough to _ever_ reconsider," she adds, quickly.

"No?" He asks.

"No," she says, shaking her head. "I honestly can't imagine not being with you," she tells him.

"Me either," he whispers as he maneuvers her body so she's half on top of him.

Beaming back at him, she leans in for a kiss as his fingers tangle in her hair. Several kisses later, they eventually pull away in favor of some air.

"Just promise me that you'll come talk to me earlier next time, okay?" He asks as he frames her face with his hands. "If you're nervous, if you're having doubts… you need to tell me," he adds.

"I was never having _doubts_ ," she says.

"It kind of seemed like you were," he replies, averting his eyes and focusing on running his fingers through her hair.

"Sam, no," she says with a shake of her head. "I promise, there was never even a second where I reconsidered us being together," she assures him. "I know there's absolutely no one else out there that is more perfect for me than you," she guarantees, earning a smile from the man lying underneath her. "It was just the marriage part that was worrying me," she admits. "I really don't want to be one of those couples who resent each other and are constantly bickering and basically never have sex," she explains.

"Neither do I," he assures her.

"So… we'll just make sure that we never become that, right?" She asks.

"Right," he agrees.

"Good," she replies with a smile before leaning in for a quick kiss.

"So… we're good?" He questions.

"We're perfect," she assures him with a grin.

====================REWRITTEN====================

I know it's not my best, but I hope you guys liked it.

Don't forget to review!


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